Award of lumpsum restitutionary compensation to achieve complete justice

To do complete justice and adjust the equities between the parties under constitutional powers, directing the payment of a lumpsum monetary amount serves as an appropriate course of action when specific performance is declined. Awarding a structured, lumpsum sum accounts for the initial earnest money paid, subsequent part payments, interest accrued over decades, and general appreciation of real estate values. This monetary mechanism fully restitutes the buyer who deposited substantial funds while simultaneously avoiding further legal complications relating to the enforceability of the original contract. A lumpsum monetary directive ensures that the buyer receives a fair return on the capital locked up for over a decade without placing an intolerable burden on the seller. Such an equitable award brings effective quietus to a dispute that has been protracted across multiple court tiers for over seventeen years. Consequently, substituting decree enforcement with consolidated lumpsum compensation achieves a balanced legal outcome for all litigating parties. (Subhash Aggarwal v. Mahender Pal Chhabra & Anr. | 2026 INSC 11)