Rajinder Singh Bhatti & Ors vs State Of Haryana & Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the validity of land acquisition proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, specifically Sections 4, 5-A, 6, 9, and 11-A. The Court held that the failure to announce the award within two years as mandated by Section 11-A resulted in the lapse of the acquisition proceedings, allowing the appellants to claim compensation under Section 48(2) for damages incurred due to the proposed acquisition. The Court emphasized that the merits of the compensation claim must be examined by the appropriate authorities, thereby upholding the appellants' right to seek redress.