The Land Acquisition Officer, ... vs Nookala Rajamallu And Ors.

The Supreme Court upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court's decision to fix the compensation for acquired land at Rs. 55/- per sq. yard under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, specifically referencing Section 4(1) and Section 18. The Court established that while small plot sales may not always be a safe criterion for determining compensation, they can be considered in the absence of other material. The Court affirmed the High Court's approach in evaluating comparable sales and adjusting for development costs and time gaps, ultimately rejecting the appellant's arguments for a lower compensation rate.