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2014 Supreme(AP) 854

HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
KALYAN JYOTI SENGUPTA & SANJAY KUMAR, JJ.
Peruri Venkata Chinna Krishnniah
Versus
The Joint Collector, Kakinada & Others
Writ Appeal No. 1056 of 2014
Decided on: 07-08-2014

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared
For the Appellant:V.V.N. Narayana Rao, Advocate.
For the Respondents:R1 to R3, GP for Revenue (AP), R4, Madhavi Priya Mantena, Advocate.

Headnote:Andhra Pradesh Rights in Land and Pattadar Pass Books Act, 1971-Section 5(5)- Andhra Pradesh Rights in land and Pattadar Pass Books Rules, 1989-Rule 9(1)(c)(ii)- Correction of the revenue record and issuing of Pattadar pass book-Revenue record was amended on strength of alleged Will-If it is an order within meaning of Section 5(5) of the Act, appellate authority has jurisdiction to decide when suit was pending-Aforesaid provision does not ouster power of appellate authority as provided in this Rule-Appeal dismissed.

       Result-Writ Appeal dismissed.

       Order of appellate authority as accepted by revisional authority will be subject to decision of Civil Court where Will is again sought to be proved to be genuine.

Judgment

Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta, C.J.

1. This writ appeal has been filed questioning the judgment and order of the Hon’ble single Judge dt.27.6.2014 by which His Lordship has been pleased to dismiss the writ petition declining to grant relief as prayed therein.

2. Short facts leading to preferring this appeal are as follows. The appellant – writ petitioner’s uncle, namely, Peruri Varaha Laxminarasimha Rao before his death is alleged to have executed last Will dated 11.06.2005. After death of his uncle, on the strength of this document, which is unregistered one, the appellant made an application for rectification of revenue record in relation to the property, allegedly bequeathed in his favour. The third respondent Tahsildar accordingly pursuant thereto had rectified the revenue record and issued pattadar pass book.

3. The fourth respondent, being aunt of the appellant and widow of said Varaha Laxminarasimha Rao, preferred appeal against the aforesaid order allowing correction of the revenue record and issuing pattadar pass book. The appellate authority, namely, the Revenue Divisional Officer reversed the order of the Tahsildar and cancelled the pattadar pass book. The appellant – writ petitioner filed a revision application against this order before the Joint Collector, who too dismissed the revision application on 26th March, 2008 holding that order of the appellate authority was perfectly justified.

4. The basis of filing of the revision application by the appellant was that the appellate authority would not have entertained the appeal under the Statute as he filed a civil suit before the Civil Court where necessary relief was sought for touching the legality and validity of the Will relating to disposition of the property. The appellate authority overruling this objection decided the matter allowing the appeal on 8.3.2007. The revision application was filed reiterating the same contention unsuccessfully. The writ petition was filed thereafter on 9.4.2008 then the suit filed by the appellant was pending and it was dismissed on 21.12.2012 by detailed and reasoned judgment by the learned Senior Civil Judge. It appears that the Civil Court thoroughly disbelieved story of execution of the alleged Will. Consequently declaration of right was not granted in favour of the appellant.

5. It is true, when the appellate authority in the Revenue Department decided the matter, the suit was pending. Even at the time of filing writ petition also it was pending. But when the writ petition was heard finally on 22.6.2014 the suit was dismissed and appeal was preferred without any subsisting interim order staying operation of the judgment and order of learned trial Civil Court. Thus because of subsequent events, as it was found by the learned single Judge, that the appellant did not had and have any subsisting right.

6. Learned counsel for the appellant emphatically urges that the orders of the appellate authority and the revisional authority are nullity and without jurisdiction because Statute provides that if the matter concerning identical issue is pending before Civil Court, nothing is to be decided by those authorities. In this context, he has referred to Rule 9(1)(c)(ii) of the Andhra Pradesh Rights in land and Pattadar Pass Books Rules, 1989 (for short, ‘the Rules’), which is reproduced hereunder:

9(1)(c)(ii). In respect of cases falling under Rule 9(1)(a)(i), the Mandal Revenue Officer shall hold a summary enquiry as to who has the right to succeed to the property of the deceased registered holder, according to the principles of the Law of Succession which govern the case and give notice to all persons known or believed to be interested to the effect that the registry will be made in the name of the person found to be entitled, unless a declaration if filed, within three months from the date of the notice, by any person objecting to the registry, stating that he has instituted a suit in a Civil Court to establish his superior title and













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