Supreme Court dismisses land acquisition petition after 21-year delay citing acquiescence doctrine

The SC refused to condone an inordinate delay of approximately 21 years in filing special leave petitions challenging land acquisition compensation. The petitioners failed to demonstrate sufficient cause for the delay and had accepted compensation at Rs. 30 per square yard as determined by the reference court. When the HC reduced compensation to Rs. 22 per square yard, petitioners made no grievance for 21 years. The SC applied the doctrine of acquiescence, holding that petitioners lost their right to complain by accepting the compensation without objection. The court noted practical difficulties in recovering differential amounts from allottees after decades and refused condonation, dismissing the SLP.

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Issues: Whether the extraordinary delay of about 21 years in filing the special leave petitions was liable to be condoned.

Analysis: The petitions were filed after an inordinate lapse of time, and the only explanation offered was that a later decision concerning compensation in another village prompted the claimants to approach the Court. The delay was not supported by any plea of poverty, financial difficulty, or any other sufficient cause. The claimants had accepted the compensation determined by the reference court and had raised no grievance against the High Court's judgment for nearly two decades, which attracted the doctrine of acquiescence. The Court also held that unexplained laches could not be ignored merely because enhanced compensation was later claimed on parity grounds, especially where reopening the matter would have adverse financial and administrative consequences for the acquiring body.

Conclusion: The delay was not condonable and the applications for condonation of delay were rejected.

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