KERALA STATE HOUSING BOARD AND ORS. ETC.versusM/S. RAMAPRIYA HOTELS (P) LTD. AND ORS.

A          KERALA STATE HOUSING BOARD AND ORS. ETC.
                               v.
             M/S. RAMAPRIYA HOTELS (P) LTD. AND ORS.

                                   JULY 28, 1994

B            (K. RAMASWAMY AND N. VENKATACHALA, JJ.]

          Kera/a Land Acquisition Act, 1961: Sections 3 (1), 6, 9, 16, 17 and
    18.

        Section 16(1)--0bject of-Compensation for land acquisitiott-Agree-
c ment for-More   than one person interested in compensation-Entering into
    agreement of all persons jointly with Collecto,._parties can waive the man-
    datory provision of-Expression ''All persons interested agree''-Means not
    only in plural but also singular.

D        Land Acquisitiott-Agreement for compensation between Owner and
    Collector-Land acquired mortgaged with Bank-Mortgagee Bank not a party
    to agreemen~ortgagee bank held a person interested in compensation but
    his non joinder rendered neither the agreement void nor the jurisdiction of
    Collector to make award void.
E          Section 16(1)-l'rovis<>-lnterpretation of-Agreement for compensa-
    tiolt-Notification under Section 3(Ir Requirement of publication of decla-
    ration-Prescribed period of four years-Reckoning of-Held expression 'such
    date' refers to the date of agreement and not date of notification under
    section 3(1).
F
          Interpretation of Statutes :

          Statute-Words of analogous meaning-Interpretation of Statute-
    Constrnction of-Should be according to intent of Legislature.

G         Statute--l'rovisiott-Two views possible-Constrnction in favour of sus-
    taining constitutionality should be preferred.

          Waiver-Mandatory procedure--l'arty can waive it.

          The respondent-Company entered into an agreement with the Collec-
H tor, under section 16 of the Kerala Land Acquisition Act, 1961, whereunder
                                         338
        KERLA STAlE HSG. BOARD v. RAMAPRIYA HOlELS (P) LTD.              339


it agreed to accept compensation @ Rs. 1100 per each cent of land to be A
acquired. Pursuant thereto a notification under section 3(1) of the Act was
published acquiring the land for the housing scheme envisaged by the
appellant but the declaration under section 6 was not published within the
prescribed period from the date of publication of notification under section
3(1). A fresh notification under section 3(1) issued on June 12, 1979 was
upheld by the High Court. A declaration under section 6 was published on B
January 18, 1981 and after issue of notice under section 9(3) the respondent
was awarded compensation @ Rs. 1100 per each cent, of the land acquired.

      The respondent-Company's application for reference under section
20 was rejected against which a writ petition was filed in the High Court C
which held that (i) no award under section 16 could have been made
because the bank to which the property under acquisition was mortgaged
was not a party to the Contract; and (ii) by operation of the proviso to
sub-section(l) of section 16 since four years had elapsed from the date of
the agreement the award based on the agreement became void. Consequent·
ly the High Court allowed the writ petition and directed the Collector to D
make reference to the Civil Court under section 20 without reference to the
agreement which became void.

       The Housing Board and the state preferred appeals before this
Court contending that (i) it was open to the respondents to waive the           E
requirement of entering into a contract by all parties; (ii) in the cir-
cumstances of the case the respondents were estopped from contending
that under section 16 no award can be made in the absence of the
mortgagee bank as a party to the agreement; and (iii) the expression "such
date" referred to in proviso to section 16(1) is referable to the date of the
notification under section 3(1); the finding of the High Court that the         F
award became void after the expiry of four years from the date of the
agreement is clearly erroneous.

      Dismissing the appeals, this Court

     HELD : 1. The finding of the High Court that no award could have
                                                                                G
been made in respect of the respondent-Company is clearly erroneous and
unsustainable and is accordingly set aside. (346-D]

     2. The object of section 16(1) of the Kerala and Acquisition Act is to
determine market value expeditiously and award compensation in terms of H
     340                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1994] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A    agreement to avoid needless delay.. Therefore, in the light of the purpose
     and object of section 16 "all person" must be interpreted to mean not only
     in a plural but also singular which would include any one, if more than one
     person are interested in the compensation, to mutually enter into an agree-
     ment with the Collector. The agreement will bind the contracting parties
     alone and the award made under section 16(1) may not thereby bind others.
B    By its implication, absence of other persons who have similar interest in
     the compensation does not render the agreement executed by one among
     them void. Section 16 is a beneficial provision and it is always open to the
     parties to waive the mandatory provision of entering into the agreement by
     all the persons jointly with the Collector under section 16(1).
c                                                               (345-G-H, 346-A]
          Maharashtra Srare Financial Corporarion v. Jaycee Drngs and Phar-
     maceuticals Pvr. Lrd. & Ors., (1991] 2 sec 637 and Dhirendra Narh Gorai
     & Suba/ Chandra Shaw & Ors. v. Sudhir Chandra Ghosh & Ors., (1964] 6
     SCR 1001, referred to.
D.        Maxwell on Interprerarion of Srarures, 11th Edn. p. 321; Craies 011
     Sianue Law, 7th Edn. p.177, referred to.

           3. Though the mortgagee-Bank was interested in the compensation
     by operation of section 73(2) of the Transfer of Property Act. to realise the
E    amount due to it from the mortgagor from the compensation payable from
     hypothecated lands under Compulsory acquisition, yet its non-joinder as
     a party to the agreement does not render the agreement void nor become
     unenforceable nor renders the jurisdiction of the Collector to make the
     award under section 16(1) as illegal or void. (346-B-C]

F          4. Section 16(1) and its proviso should be read in the context of
     section 16(2) and if so harmoniously read to give effect to the scheme of
     section 16, "such date" must be referable to the date of the agreement and
     not to the date of the notification published under section 3(1) of the Act.
     Thus after the expiry of four years from the date of the agreement, namely
'G   may 13, 1977 the Collector ceased to have power to pass the award under
     section 16(1). [349-D]

           S. The statement and object of the Kerala Land Acquisition Amend-
     ment Act, 1980 undoubtedly support the contention of the appellant-Board
     that the word "form such date" would be referable to the date of the
H    publication of notification under section 3(1), but in interpreting the effect
        KERLASTATEHSG. BOARD'· RAMAPRIYAHOTELS(P)LID.(K RAMASWAMY,J.) 341


      of the proviso the court has to look into the purpose and the effect of the A
      main section 16(1) on the agreement entered into by the Collector and the
      person interested in the compensation. The agreement ties the owner of
    · the land with the market value ·mentioned thereunder, but undue delay in
    · making the award leads to manifest injustice. Having had the power to
      make an award under the agreement and without any limitation the B
      Collector would be left with his discretion to make the award leisurely at
      his whim or he may delay the issuance of the notification under section
      3(1) or may issue successive declarations under section 6. This arbitrary
      exercise of power would result in hardship and manifest injustice to the
      owner of the land which would be violative of not only Article 14 of the
      Constitution, but also becomes an unfair procedure offending Article 21. C
      Therefore, the legislature introduced the proviso. "Such date' referred to
      in the proviso, by necessary implication, must be referable to the date of
      agreement, though by strict construction it may lead to the conclusion
      that" Such date' may be referred to the date of publication of the notifica-
      tion under section 3(1). When two views are possible, to avoid manifest D
      injustice, unjustness and arbitrariness or unconstitutionality of the
      statute, construction in favour of sustaining the constitutionality should
      be preferred. (348-B-F)

            State of Gujarat v. Patel Raghav Nath, (1970] 1 SCR 335; Mansa Ram
     v. S.P. Pathak, (1984) 1SCC125; State of Madhya Pradesh v. Vishnu Prasad E
     Shanna, (1966] 3. SCR '557; Kalyankutti Ammal v. State of Kerala, ILR .
     (1981) 2 Kerala·53; Tribhuvandas Haribah Tamboli v. Gujarat Revenue
     Tribunal & Ors., (1991] 3 SCC 442 andA.N. Sehgal v. Raje Ram Sheoran,
     (1992] Suppl. 1 SCC 304, referred to.

           CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 4994 of                F
     1990 and Civil Appeal No. 4995 of 1990.
•
          From the Judgment and Order dated 'lii.7.89 of the Kerala High
     Court in O.P. No. 704 of 1982.

           R.F. Nariman, E.M.S. Anam and M.T; George for the Appellants.         G
           K.K. Venugopal, S.R. Selia and Rishi Kesh for the Respondents.

           The Judgement of the Court was delivered by

           K. RAMASWAMY, J. The two appeals arise from the same judg- H
    342                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1994] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A ment, the first one by the Housing Board and the second by the State,
  respondents before the K.erala High Court in O.P. No. 704 of 1982 dated
  July 26, 1989. The respondent-company had entered into an agreement on
  May 30, 1977 agreeing that "first party (respondent-company) is satisfied
  of their own will that on a consideration of all relevant facts and cir-
  cumstances and the prevailing conditions Rs. 1100 Rupees eleven hundred
B only) per cent including all improvements situated on this land will be a
  fair value and proper price for the property." "The first party will accept
  without protest on their behalf value-compensation at Rs. 1100 (Rupees
  eleven hundred only) per cent inlclusive of solatium and value for all
  structures and improvements on the property to be acquired and referred
c to in the schedule hereunder", "will not dispute the declaration of com-
  pensation awarded." "Entering into this agreement as it will be for his own
  benefit and he stands to gain by the implementation of the said agreement''.
  The second party (Land Acquisition Collector) " is empowered to make
  an award" "at the rate of Rs. 1100 (Rupees eleven hundred only) per cent
D inclusiv~ of solatium and value for all structures and improvements in and
   upon the said land". Pursuant thereto notification under s.3(1) of the
   K.erala land Acquisition Act 1961 {Act 21 of 1962 for short the Act) was
   published in the State Gazette acquiring 2.69.11 hectares in Survey Nos.
   1759 part and 1127 parts in Trivendrum for the housing scheme envisaged
   by the appellants. Possession of the land was taken on February 1, 1978
E but since declaration under s.6 was not published within two years from
   the date of publication of s.3(1) notification, on June 12, 1979 fresh
   notification under s.3(1) was published. The Respondents questioned the
   notification by filing a writ petition on August 10, 1979 which was disposed
   of on October 13, 1980 upholding the fresh notification. A declaration
F  under  s.6 was published on January 18, 1981 and a notice under s.9(3) to
   make the award was served on the respondents pursuant to which the
   respondents laid claim at Rs. 30,000 per cent for compensation. The Dist.
   Collector made an award on August 21, 1981 at Rs. 1100 per cent and on
   September 19, 1981 the respondents filed an application under s.20 for
   reference to the Civil Court. Since the reference was not made writ petition
G O.P. 704 of 1982, came to be filed on January 26, 1982 which as stated
   earlier was allowed by the High Court under the impugned judgment.

           The High Court found that the property under acquisition alongwith
     other properties, was hypothecated by equitable mortgage to Indian Bank,
H    branch at Trivandrum which as mortgagee was entitled to claim an interest
   KERLASTATEHSG. BOARD v. RAMAPRIYA HOTELS(P)LID. tK RAMASWAMY,J.] 343


in compensation payable to the mortgagor. Since the bank was not a party         A
to the contract, no award under s.16 of the Act could have been made. It
also found that, by operation of the proviso to sub-s. (1) of s.16, since four
years had elapsed from the date of the agreement, namely, May 13, 1977,
the award based on the agreement became void. However, to avoid delay
since award had already been made, the High Court directed the Collector         B
to refer the claim under s.20 to the Civil Court without reference to the
agreement which had become void. Accordingly the writ petition was
allowed. Sri R.F. Nariman, the learned Senior counsel for the Housing
Board contended that the view of the High Court is clearly illegal. Section
16 contemplates execution of an agreement between the owner of the land          C
and the Land Acquisition Officer to fix market value at the agreed rate
which binds the parties. It is open to the respondents to waive the require-
ment of entering into a contract by all parties. Even otherwise the respon-
dents had suppressed the fact of hypothetication to have executed an
equitable mortgage of the property in favour of the Indian Bank, claiming
that respondent alone had exclusive title to the property, the respondent-       D
company is estopped to contend that under s. 16 no award can be made
in the absence of the mortgagee as a party to the agreecrent. He also
contended that "such date" referred to in proviso to s. 16(1), is referable
to the date of the notification under s.3(1). From the date of the second
notification which came to be published after the execution of the contract,     E
the period of four years would begin to run from the date of the second
notification and the award having been made within four years from that
date, the Collector was within his power to make the award under s.16 and
the finding of the High Court that the award became void after the expiry
of four years from the date of the agreement is clearly erroneous. In view       F
of the agreement, no reference under s.18 can be made to the civil court.
Sri K.K. Venugopal, learned Senior counsel for the respondents resisted
the contentions.

       The first question that arises for consideration is whether the phrase
"all person interested agree" in s.16(1) required that each and every party G
having an interest in the compensation should necessarily be a party to the
agreement. To appreciate whether this broad construction could alone
subserve the legislative intent, should be considered in the light of the
language in S.16 and purpose it seeks to serve and its effects, require
consideration. Section 16(1) reads thus :                                     H
    344                    SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1994] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A                "16(1) - If the Collector and all the persons interested agree,
             whether before or after the date of publication of the notification
             under sub-section (l} of section 3, as to the amount of compensa-
             tion to be allowed, the Collector shall make an award under his          •
             hand for the same :
B
                 Provided that an agreement executed before the date of pub-
             lication of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 3, shall
             not be binding on the persons interested after the expiry of four
             years from such date.

c                (2) Such award shall be filed in the Collector's office and shall,
             subject to the proviso to sub-section (1} be conclusive evidence, as
             between the Government and all persons interested, of the value
             of the land and the amount of compensation allowed for the same."

D          A reading of sub-s.(1) no doubt indicates that if the collector and all
    the persons interested agree, whether before or after the date of publica-
    tion of the notification under sub-s. (1) of section 3 as to the amount of
    compensation to be allowed, the Collector shall make an award under his
    hand for the same. It is stated in Maxwell on Interpretation of Statutes,
E   11th Edn., p.321, that two or more words which are susceptible of
    analogous meaning are coupled together noscuntur a sociis, they are to be
    understood as used in their cognate sense. They take, as it were, their
    colour from each other, that is, the more general is restricted to a sense
    analogous to the less general. At p.334 and 335, it is further stated that the
    effect of the words of analogous meaning on each other and that of specific
F   words on the more general one which closes the enumeration of them, as
    well as of their subordination to the more general principle gathering the
    intention from a review of the whole enactment and giving effect to its
    paramount object. At p. 338, it is stated that unless the contrary intention
    appears, in statutes passed after 1850, words importing the masculine
G   gender include females,the singolar includes the plural, and the plural the
    singular. In Craies on Statute Law, 7th Edn. at p.177 it is stated that the
    words of limitation are not to be read into a statute, if it can be avoided.
    But in some cases a limitation may be put on the construction of the wide
    terms of a statute. At p.178, it is stated that one of the safest guides to the
H   construction of sweeping general words which it is difficult to apply in their
    KERLASTATEHSO. BOARD'· RAMAPRIYAHOTELS (P) LTD. (K. RAMASWAMY,J.j 345


   full literal sense is to examine other words of like import in the same A
   instrument, and to see what limitation must be imposed on them. At p.183,
   it is stated that the question whether, when the legislature has used general
   words in a statute, not following particular or specific words, those are to
   receive any (and if so, what) limitation is one which may sometime be
   answered by considering whether the intention of the legislature on this B
   point can be gathered from other parts of the statute. At p.184, it is stated
   that sometimes by considering the cause and necessity of making the Act,
   sometimes by comparing one part of the Act with another, and sometime
   by foreign circumstances, so that they have ever been guided by the intent
   of the legislature, which they have always taken according to the necessity C
   of the matter, and according to that which is consonant to reason and good
   discretion. The statute has to be construed according to the intent of the
   legislatcre. In Maharashtra State Fi11a11cial Corporation v. Jaycee Drugs and
   Phamzaceutica/s Pvt. Ltd. & Ors., [1991] 2 SCC 637 at 651, para (6) this
   court held that it is settled rule of interpretation that statutory provisions D
   should be construed in a manner which subserves the purpose of the
   enactment and does not defeat it and that no part thereof is rendered
   surplus or otiose. The object of s.16 is that the Collector and the owner of ·
   the land should agree for payment of compensation to the land acquired
   after obtaining the approval of valuation from the Dist. Collector or the
·. Board of Revenue, as the case may be, under s.17 of the Act with a view E
   to make the awa~d expeditiously and to avoid further litigation, protection
   and prompt payment of compensation to the owner of the land. It is an
   enabling provision. The person or persons interested in the compensation
   would always be at liberty to agree by a contract with the Collector to make
   an award in terms thereof. It is true that Indian Bank, Trivendrum Branch F
   was a mortgagee by deposit of title deeds by the respondent and co-
   noininee it was not a party to the agreement. The object of s.16(1) is to
   determine market value expeditiously and award compensation in terms of
   agreement to avoid needless delay. Therefore, in the light of the purpose
   and object of s.16 all persons must be interpreted to mean not only in a G
   plural but also singular which would include any one, if more than one
   person are interested in the compensation, to mutually enter into an
   agreement with the Collector. The agreement will bind the contracting
   parties alone and the award made under s.16(1) may not thereby bind
   others. By its implication, absence of other p_ersons who have similar H
    346                  SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1994) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A   interest in the compensation does not render the agreement executed by
    one among them void. Section 16 is a beneficial provision and it is always
    open to the parties to waive the mandatory provision of entering into the
    agreement by all the persons jointly with the Collector under s. 16(1). In
    Dhirendra Nath Gorai & Suba/ Chandra Shaw & Ors. v. Sudhir Chandra
    Ghosh & Ors., [1964] 6 SCR 1001, this Court held that a party can waive
B
    mandatory procedure. Accordingly we hold that though Indian Bank as a
    mortgagee was interested in the compensation by operation of s. 73(2) of
    the Transfer of Property Act to realise the amount due to it from the
    mortgagor from the compensation payable from hypothecated lands under .
    compulsory acquisition, its non-joinder as a party to the agreement does
c   not render the agreement void nor become unenforceable nor renders the
    jurisdiction of the Collector to make the award under s. 16(1) as illegal or
    void. May be, as stated earlier, neigther the contract nor the award binds
    the non- party when it was entered into in an individual capacity by the
    contracting party. The finding of the High Court that no award could have
D   been made in respect of respondent-company, therefore, is' clearly er-
    roneous and unsustainable. It is accordingly set aside. We are informed
     that the Indian Bank was paid of its debt and its request for refer.ence
    under s.18 was negatived by the Collector, which became final.

E          The crucial question whether a period of 4 years envisaged in proviso
    to s.16(1) should be reckoned from the date when the agreement was
    executed or from the date the publication of the notification, under s.3(1)
    after the agreement was executed and what would be the meaning of the
    words "from such daten? Before considering these questions, it is necessary
F   to. note few material facts and the pre-existing law. Unamended s. 16(1)
    gave power to the Collector and all persons interested in the compensation,
    to agree for fixation of the amount of compensation by an award by
    consent. It is otherwise known as statutory agreement. There was no
    limitation prescribed for making the award by the Collector. Sub-section
    (2) makes the award conclusive evidence between the Govt. and the
G   persons agreed of the value of the land and the amount of compensation
    allowed for the same. In other words, by an agreement, the value of the
    amount gets pegged down under the agreement, to the date of issuance of
    the notification under s.3(1) of the Act, which is the same as s.4(1) of the
    Land Acquisition Act 1 of 1894, a condition precedent for a declaration to
H   follow under s.6 of the Act. The claimant foregoes the right of reference
       KERLA STATE HSG. BOARD i·. RA.~fAPRIYA HOTELS (P) LTD. [K RAMAS\VA:\1Y. J.j 347


     under s.18 of the Act. It is notorious that after publication of the notifica-
     tion under s.4(1) of the central Act and declaration under s.6, years would
     role by before making the award under s.11 of the Central Act. In State of
     Gujarat v. Patel Raghav Natha, (1970) 1 SCR 335 the period of limitation
     under Bombay Land Revenue Act for exercise of the power under s.65
     came up for consideration. This court held that, 'that there is no period of B
     limitation prescribed under s.211, but it seems to me that this power must
     be exercised within a reasonable time and the length of reasonable. time
     must be determined by the facts of the case and the nature of the order
     which is being revised". In Ma11sa Ram v. S.P. Pathak, (1984) 1 SCC 125
     this court held that the power must be exercised " in a reasonable manner
     and the reasonable exercise of the power and it is exercised within a               c
     reasonable time". In the context of land acquisition, this court inState of
    Madhya Pradesh v. Vishnu Prasad Shanna, [1966] 3 SCR 557 had held that
    after the publication of the notification under s.4(1) requiring particular
    land in a locality, it m'ust expeditiously issue "declaration under s.6 to that
     effect" that after begging the price by the issuance of the notification under D
    s.4(1) the Government have no power to issue successive declarations
    under s.6 in respect of parcels of land covered by notification under s.4(1)
    at different times. The parliament amended s.6 by the Land Acquisition
    (Amendment and Validation) Act, 1967 and gave power to the government
    to make different declarations from time to time in respect of different E
    parts of lands covered by the same notification under s.4(1). However, it
    introduced a proviso prescribing limitation of 3 years from the date of the
    publication of the notification. In the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act
    1984 it was further reduced to one year. Equally s.llA was made by 1984
    Amendment Act prescribing .2 year's limitation from .the date of publica-
    tion of the declaration to make the award in respect of the proceedings
                                                                                    F
    taken under the Act and the proviso thereto gives further three years to
'
    make the award in the pending procetdings from the date of the commen-
    cement of 1984 Amendment Act. On expiry thereof, "proceedings for the
    acquisition of the land shall lapse". It is thus clear from the legislative
    mandate that the completion of passing of the award after the initiation G
    of the acquisition proceedings are being unduly delayed and now it is
    enjoined to be done within 2 years from the date of publication of the
    declaration under s.6. The Kerala legislature recognising the same situation
    prevailing under the Act the Kerala Land Acquisition Amendment Act,
    1980, suitably amended S.3 & 6 of that Act, s.16(1) was also amended. H
    348                    SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1994) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A   Preceding thereto a division bench of that court in Kalyankutti Ammal v.
    State of Kerala, !LR (1981) 2 Kerala 53 interpreted the agreement and
    s.16(1) and held that the agreement under s.16(1) becomes void after the
    notification under s.3(1) lapsed. To give effect to such a lapsed agreement
    s.16.(1) was suitably amended and proviso to s. 16(1) was made. The
    statement and objects in this behalf undoubtedly support the contention of
B
    the counsel for the Board that the word, "from such date" would be
    referable to the date of the publication of notification under s.3(1), bu(in
    interpreting the effect of the proviso the court has to look into the purpose
    and the effect of the main s. 16(1) on the agreement entered into by the
    Collector and the person interested in the compensation. It is seen that the
c   agreement ties the owner of the land with the market value mentioned
    thereunder, but undue in making the award leads to manifest injustice.
    Having had the power to make an award under the agreement and without
    any limitation the Collector would be left with his discretion to make the
    award leisurely at his whim or he may delay the issuance of the notification
D   under s.3(1) or may issue successive declarations under s.6. This arbitrary
    exercise of power would result in hardship and manifest injustice to the
    owner of the land which would be violative of not only Art. 14 of the
    Constitution, but also becomes an unfair procedure offending Art. 21.
    Therefore, the legislature introduced the proviso "such date", referred to
E   in the proviso, by necessary implication, must be referable to the dat~. of
    the agreement, though by strict construction it may lead to the conclusion
    that "such date" may be referred to the date of the publication of the
    notification under the date of the publication of the notification under
    s.3(1). When two views are possible, to avoid manifest injustice, unjustness
F   and arbitrariness or unconstitutionality of the statute, construction in
    favour of sustaining the constitutionality should be leaned.

           In Tribhovandas Haribah Tamboli v. Gujarat Revenue Tribunal &
    Ors., [1991] 3 SCC 442 this court held that the proper function of a proviso
    is to except and deal with a case which would otherwise fall within the
G   general language of the main enactment and its effect is to be confined to
  . that case. Where the language of the main enactment is explicit and
    unambiguous, the proviso can have no repercussion on the interpretation
    of the main enactment, so as to exclude from it, by implication what clearly
    falls within its express terms. The scope of the proviso, therefore, is to carve
H out an exception to the main enactment and it excludes something which
   KERLA SfATE HSO. BOARD "· RAMAPRIYA HOTELS (P) LrD. jK RAMASWAMY,!.] 349


otherwise would have been within the rule. ll has to operate in the same A
field and if the language of the main enactment is clear, the proviso cannot
be torn apart from the main enactment nor can it be used to nullify by
implication what the enactment clearly says, nor set at naught the real
object of the main enactment, unless the words of the proviso are such that
it is its necessary effect. In that case it was held that by reading the proviso B
consistent with the provisions of s.88 of th Bombay Tenancy and Agricul-
tural Act, the object of the main provision was sustained In A.N. Sehgal v.
Raje Ram Seoran, [1992] Suppl. 1 SCC 304 another bench interpreting
proviso in the Haryana Service of Engineers Rules, 1960 held that the
proviso to rule 5(2) (a) cannot be applied to confer the benefit of regular
appointment on every promotee appointed in excess of 50% quota. This C
court harmoniously read the main provision and the proviso and gave effect
to the rule.


       It would, thus, be clear that s.16(1) and its proviso should be read in
the context of s.16(2) and if so harmoniously read to give effect to the         D
scheme of s.16, "such date" must be referable to the date of the agreement
 and not to the date of the notification published under s.3(1) of the Act.
Thus considered, we are broadly in agreement with the High Court on this
aspect and hold that after the expiry of four years from the date of the
agreement, namely May 13, 1977 , the Collector ceased to have power to           E
pass the award under s.16(1). It is to be seen that the agreement validly
executed, does not become void after expiry of the period prescribed under
the statute. It remains valid, but becomes unenforceable. Since the proviso
prescribes a limitation on the exercise of the power by the Collector under
s.16(1) to make an award in terms of the contract, on its expiry he ceases
to have power to make award in terms of the agreement. Since the High
                                                                                 F
Court had not quashed the award with a view to avoid further delay, and
directed the Collector to make a reference under s.18 of the Act to the
Civil Court, we are informed that such a reference was, in fact, made by
the Collector and is pending. By interim orders this court stayed further
proceedings of the. reference. Accordingly we dismissed ihe appeals and          G
direct the civil court to expeditiously determine the market valne according
to law. However, it is made clear that the observation of the High Court
in the judgment under appeals "that the Civil Court shall not be bound by
the terms of the agreement Ex P-1 in the matter of determining the
compensation cannot come in the way of the Land Acquisition Collector            H
    350                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1994) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A relying upon the agreement as a piece of evidence as to whet the parties
    had thought to be the market value of the acquired property with reference
    to the date of publication of preliminary notification and the court deciding   '
    onits evidentiary value in the matter of determination of the market value
    of the acquired property.
B         The appeals are dismissed, but in the circumstances parties would
    bear their respective costs.

    T.N.A.                                                   Appeals dismissed.