SITA RAM vs UNION OF INDIA

Judgment text excerpt

$~70 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 28th April, 2026 Uploaded on: 29th April, 2026 + W.P.(C) 5796/2026 SITA RAM .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Jitendra Kumar Jha, Adv. (through V/C) versus UNION OF INDIA .....Respondent Through: Mr. Sanjay Kumar Pathak, SC with Mrs. K. Kaomudi Kiran Pathak, Mr. Sunil Kumar Jha, Mr. Mohd Sueb Akhtar, Ms. Joohu Kumari and Mr. Kushagra Dixit, Advs. UOI/LAC CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUSTICE MADHU JAIN Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral) 1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. 2. The present petition has been filed by the Petitioner-Mr. Sita Ram under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following prayers: a. to set aside the order of the Respondent dated 20.12.2017 and direct the Respondent to forward the Reference U / S - 30 - 31 of LA, Act, 1894 to the appropriate Civil Court for proper adjudication b. To direct the Respondent to pay the compensation as per compensation awarded by the Reference District Court, Dwarka, New Delhi in same notification & Award to the Petitioner; or c. To pass any other/ further order/ relief which Signature Not Verified Signed By:RENUKA NEGI W.P.(C) 5796/2026 Page 1 of 6 Signing Date:29.04.2026 18:35:35 deem fit and proper according to the facts and circumstances of the case in his favour in the interest of justice; It is prayed accordingly. 3. Vide the impugned order dated 20th December, 2017, the application of the Petitioner under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 has been rejected as being barred by time. The relevant extract of the order reads: 4. The case of the Petitioner is that, he had purchased 300 sq. yards of land being Plot No. 393, Khasra No.9/22, Laxmi Garden Colony, Nangli Sakrawati, Delhi (hereinafter, ‘the subject land’) from o