Judgment

M.N.Venkatachaliah, CJI.

(1) BIHARI Lal was a tenant of 246 kanals 18 marlas of land of the Village Ballabhgarh in erstwhile Punjab State, now in Haryana State. He got a right to purchase that land from its landowner, Harinder Singh, since such right was conferred upon him by Section 18 of the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, the Tenures Act for short. That on 2/3/1961, he made an application for such purchase before the Assistant Collector of First Grade Ballabhgarh the authority empowered to decide on the right to purchase and determine the purchase price. The Assistant Collector granted that application by his order dated 3/3/1963 recognising the tenants right to purchase 224 kanals 18 marlas of the said land and determining its purchase price, besides ordering deposit of that purchase price, either in a lump sum or in four equal six-monthly instalments, so that the same may be paid to the landowner. The tenant who chose to deposit the first instalment of that purchase price, deposited the same on 12/3/1963, well before the time allowed therefor. The said order of the Assistant Collector made, recognising the right of purchase of the land