Devki Amma(D) By L.Rs. & Ors Etc. Etc vs State Of Kerala & Anr.Etc. Etc

The Supreme Court held that in land acquisition cases, the compensation awarded must be based on comparable sales, as established under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act. The Court found that the Reference Court was justified in fixing the compensation at Rs.14,000/- per cent for garden land and Rs.11,000/- per cent for wet land, despite the absence of oral evidence from the landowners. The Court set aside the High Court's reduction of compensation, restoring the Reference Court's decision and affirming the entitlement of statutory benefits to the appellants.