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Issues:
1. Competency of the appeal from an award of the Chief Court of Lower Burma under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. 2. Interpretation of Sections 53 and 54 of the Act regarding the right of appeal to the High Court. Analysis: 1. The appeal in question was deemed incompetent by the High Court of Bombay as it was purported to be an appeal as of right from an award of the Chief Court of Lower Burma under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The appellants, dissatisfied with the Collector's valuation of their land taken for public purposes, demanded a reference to the Court, which was conducted by two Judges of the Chief Court. The Judges acted as "the Court" and also as the High Court for appeal purposes. The exhaustive award concluded that the Collector had provided the appellants with full market value for their property, leading to the dismissal of the reference with costs. The Act only allows a limited appeal to the High Court from the award of "the Court," and no further appeal rights can be implied. 2. The interpretation of Sections 53 and 54 of the Land Acquisition Act played a crucial role in determining the right of appeal in this case. Section 53, which applies to earlier stages of the proceedings, does not pertain to appeals to the High Court. On the other hand, Section 54 explicitly states that an appeal shall lie to the High Court from the award of the Court in proceedings under the Act. However, the High Court clarified that Section 54 only applies to proceedings during the appeal to the High Court and does not grant the claimant the same rights as an ordinary suitor. The Court highlighted the impracticality of allowing a review of arbitrators' determination on the value of land in India without local knowledge or the opportunity to assess witnesses and property firsthand.
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