Judgment

M. Jagannadha Rao, J.-Leave granted.

2. This appeal has been preferred by the legal representative of one Dr. Devadoss against the judgment of a Division Bench of the Madras High Court in Special Tribunal Appeal No. 4 of 1993 dated 21.1.1997, dismissing the appeal of the said Dr. Devadoss’s legal representative. That was an appeal preferred against the order of the Inam abolition Tribunal (Sub Court) Thanjavur in CMA No. 23 of 1985, by which the said Tribunal had confirmed the order of the Asst. Settlement Officer (Asst. Law Tax Officer) dated 4.5.1985 in T.8.5/EO/PKT/84 (on remand) granting ryotwari patta to the respondent temple as a landholder under Section 9 of the Tamil Nadu Estates (Abolition & Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Act 26/1963) (hereinafter called the 1963 Act).

3. The dispute relates to the 0.84 cents in S.No. 10/2 and 0.79 cents in S.No. 75, Athaloor Village, Peravoprani Taluk, Thanjavur District.

The decision of the tribunals :

4. Before the primary tribunal, the respondent temple claimed patta under Section 9 as the landholder. Dr. Devadoss (herein­after called the appellant for convenience) claimed ryotwari patta on the basis that he was having the Ku