The Original petition has been filed by one among the claimants in LAR No.290/2010 on the file of the Second Additional Sub Court, Thiruvananthapuram. Delay in answering the reference made over the claim for enhanced compensation has prompted the petitioner/claimant to file this original petition to seek for issue of directions/orders to the reference court to complete the proceedings expeditiously. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the acquisition proceedings commenced way back in 1996 but the award was passed only in 2009, after a series of litigation between the parties over the questions relating to the acquisition for a public purpose. The nonfiling of the written statement by the State and also the requisition authority, the second respondent, for whose need the land was acquired, it is submitted, is delaying the completion of the proceedings. The case stood before the court below for filing O.P.(C).NO.422 OF 2012 2 of the written statement by the respondents on 28.03.2012 but on their request for an adjournment to do so, it has now been posted to a date in October 2012, is the submission of the counsel. The fact remains that the respondents have not so far filed any written statement. The learned counsel appearing for the second respondent and also the learned Government Pleader submit that appropriate instructions will be given to file the written statement answering the claim for enhancement raised at the earliest. The respondents shall file written statements, if they have any challenges to the claim made within a period of ten weeks from today. The learned Sub Judge is also directed to prepone the case fixing a date in the last week of June, to ascertain whether the written statements as represented by the respective counsel of the respondents have been filed before such period. Whether or not written statement is filed by that date, the court below shall proceed to take appropriate steps to have an expeditious disposal of the case in accordance with law. O.P.(C).NO.422 OF 2012 3
Subject to the above directions/observations, the original petition is closed.
S.S.SATHEESACHANDRAN JUDGE DMR/-