MOHAMMAD HASNUDDIN vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

The Supreme Court held that the Collector's power to make a reference under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, is contingent upon fulfilling the conditions laid down therein, particularly regarding limitation. The Court ruled that an application for reference must be made within the time prescribed by the proviso to Section 18(2) for a valid reference. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed as the application was deemed time-barred, affirming the decisions of both the District Court and the High Court.