SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
LOKRAJ
Vs.
Kishan Lal
Decided on January 11, 1995
Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Abolition of Inams Act, 1955 – Section 3 – Appeal by special leave arises from the division bench judgment in CRP of the High court of A. P – Respondent-plaintiff laid the suit OS in the court of the Chief Judge, City Civil court, Hyderabad for partition of the plaint schedule properties and for l/6th share therein – Court are concerned in this appeal with the properties mentioned in b Schedule of the plaint – It consists of 8 items, of which item 5 relates to lands bearing Survey admeasuring 20 acres 21 gunthas situated in Attapur Village – Said land was acquired by the government to establish a zoo – Compensation was determined in OP by the First Additional Judge, City Civil court, Hyderabad – Rest of the properties are now found to be inam lands as per the finding of the High court –Held, court held that the suit is not maintainable – Division bench overruled the judgment on the sole ground that the ratio in was not considered, therefore, it was not good law – Division bench obviously overlooked the fact that under Act the ultimate jurisdiction for deciding the question has been vested only in the civil court – Therefore, the division bench in case had held that suit for partition was maintainable. But that ratio bears no relevance to the consequence that would ensue under the Act, Division bench, therefore, was not right in holding that the suit for partition is maintainable, even though inam has been abolished under the Act and the lands stood vested in the State – Therein, after abolition of the watan re-grants were made in favour of watandars – In view of the pre-existing watans burdened with service of watandar as per pre-existing law, excluded the junior members of the family to claim partition, was abolished and re-grant was made to the watandar, after the re-grant the property became the joint family property – Appeal is accordingly allowed.
( 1 ) THIS appeal by special leave arises from the division bench judgment dated 22/1/1986 made in CRP No. 1215 of 1977 of the High court of A. P. . The respondent-plaintiff laid the suit OS No. 59 of 1968 in the court of the Chief Judge, City Civil court, Hyderabad for partition of the plaint schedule properties and for l/6th share therein. We are concerned in this appeal with the properties mentioned in b Schedule of the plaint. It consists of 8 items, of which item 5 relates to lands bearing Survey Nos. 174, 175, 179, 192, 193 and 205 admeasuring 20 acres 21 gunthas situated in Attapur Village. The said land was acquired by the government to establish a zoo. The compensation was determined in OP No. 35 of 1963 by the First Additional Judge, City Civil court, Hyderabad. The rest of the properties are now found to be inam lands as per the finding of the High court:
"thus, there does not appear to be any controversy between the parties on the question whether the plaint b Schedule properties are inam lands or not. Therefore, it becomes an admitted fact that the plaint b schedule lands are inam lands. "
( 2 ) ON those admitted facts, the division bench proceeded to consider whether the suit for partition is maintainable. Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Abolition of Inams Act, 1955 as amended in 1967 (for short, the Act), deals with the abolition and vesting of the inam lands. Section 3 (1 is relevant, which reads thus:
"abolition and vesting of inams and the consequences thereof. (1 Notwithstanding to the contrary contained in any usage, settlement, contract, grant, sanad, order or other instrument. Act, regulation, rules or order having the force of law and notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order of a Civil, Revenue or Atiyat court, and with effect from the date of vesting, all inams to which this Act is made applicable under Ss. (2 of Section 1 of this Act shall be deemed to have been abolished and shall vest in the State. "
( 3 ) THEREFORE, notwithstanding any contra-usage, settlement etc. enumerates Section 3 (1, on and from the date of the Act the inams were abolished and inam lands stood vested in the State. Section 3 expressly saves certain properties from the vesting as enumerated in clauses (a) to (0 of sub-section (2 thereof, with which we are not presently concerned. Section 4gives right to registration by the inamdar as occupant. As per this section, every inamdar shall, with effect from the date of vesting, be entitled to be registered as an occupant of all inam lands other than the lands enumerated in clauses (a) to (c) therein. S. 6 to 8 deal with registration of permanent tenants as occupants, either protected tenants or non-protected tenants etc. Section 5 deals with registration of Kabiz-e-kadim tenants as occupants. Section 9 deals with vesting of certain buildings and inam lands used for non-agricultural purposes. Section 10 creates forum for determination of the entitlements in S. 4 to 9. Section 11 saves certain rights created under the Act before the date of vesting as inamdars. Section 23 deals with constitution of special tribunals and their power to deal with the questions arose therein. Section 24 gives right of appeal against the order passed by the authorities constituted under Section 10 to determine the questions enumerated in S. 4 to 9. Thus the Act is a complete code, abolished the inam, vested the land in the government and conferred rights on the persons in occupation enumerated, subject to the right of appeal and the decision thereon. The Act abolished existing rights and created new rights. Created forum to determine the rights and liabilities arising therefrom. The question, therefore, is whether the civil suit for partition is maintainable, after the estate was abolished.
( 4 ) CONSEQUENT to the abolition, the pre-existing right, title and interest of the inamdar or any person having occupation of the inam lands stood divested and vested the same in the State until re-gr
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