Judgment

L.M. SHARMA, J.

(1) THIS appeal by special leave is directed against the decision of two Judges of the Madras High court forming Special Appellate tribunal under S. 30 of the Madras Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 (Act 30 of 1963. The dispute relates to the nature of a vast area of land, fully detailed in the records of the present case, and the claim of the respondents thereto.

(2) AFTER holding a suo motu inquiry under S. 11 of the Act 30 of 1963 the Assistant Settlement Officer, Villupuram, held by his order dated 6/05/1983 that the present respondents were entitled to get a ryotwari patta under S. 8(1 of the said Act. The appellant, Deputy Salt Commissioner, filed an appeal on behalf of the government of India against this order under S. 11(3 of the Act, which was dismissed on 20/12/1983 by the Minor Inams tribunal (sub-court, Chinglepet). A further appeal under S. 30 was also dismissed by the impugned judgment.

(3) THE disputed land was recorded in the survey papers under Survey No. 918 (revised Survey No. 918/2 as Salt Pan Paramboke and it appears that the respondents challenged the same as erroneous by a letter date