Here's the scoop from the High Court at Madras about a land acquisition case involving the District Collector of Dharmapuri and some local landowners. It's all about fair compensation for land taken for welfare schemes. Let's break it down!
The main folks involved are the District Collector and the Special Tahsildar from Dharmapuri, who were up against the family members of a landowner named A.S. Ranganathan. The land in question is located in Adhiyaman Kottai Village, Dharmapuri Taluk.
Back in 1999, the government decided to take over 1.55 hectares of land for welfare projects. The land belonged to four different people. The official notice was published on November 26, 1999.
The Special Tahsildar set the market value of the land based on a similar sale, valuing it at Rs. 72,072 per hectare and adding a 15% extra bonus. The total compensation was Rs. 1,28,883.
Unhappy with the compensation, the landowners (except one) appealed. They argued that the compensation was too low and that the land was worth more because it was near important government facilities.
The First Appeal Court agreed with the landowners and increased the compensation to Rs. 10,21,192, adding a 30% bonus and 6% interest. They considered the land's potential and its closeness to government offices.
The District Collector wasn't happy with the increased compensation and appealed, arguing that the bonus should be 15%, not 30%, and that the appeal was filed late.
On December 2, 2025, Judges M.S. Ramesh and R. Sakthivel delivered the final decision:
The court's decision adjusted the bonus percentage and recalculated the compensation based on the land's market value and potential for development, ensuring fair compensation for the landowners.
