Petitioners are the owners of 79 cents in Sy. No. 220/ICI of Narimogru Village in Puttur Taluk. They have filed this writ petition to quash the impugned order at Annexure-A, dated 29-1-1981 passed by the Land Tribunal granting occupancy rights in favour of the 2nd respondent in respect of the said land. It is their grievance that they were not made parties before the Land Tribunal in Form 7. It is further contended that land is not tenanted and did not vest in the State Government under Section 44 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. The finding of the Tribunal that the land is tenanted, is erroneous and contrary to law. It is also stated that grant of occupancy rights in favour of the 2nd respondent is contrary to the terms of grant of land in favour of the mother of the petitioners.

2. The 2nd respondent has filed a detailed statement of objections denying the petition averments and praying for dismissal of writ petition solely on the ground of delay and laches alone.

3. The writ petition is liable to be thrown out for more than one reason. Firstly, the impugned order is dated 29-1-1981 whereas the writ petition was filed in the year 2001, after a lapse of 20 years. Hen