Karnataka High Court
Judges : V.Gopala Gowda
ACHARYA PATHASHALA EDUCATION TRUST - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KARNATAKA - Respondent
Writ Petition 28068 Of 2004
Decided On : 08/31/2004
Advocates Appeared :
N.P.KALLESH GOWDA, S.P.SHANKAR, S.S.Karamadi, S.W.ARABATHI
certiorari - Land Lease Dispute - Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, Section 71, Rule 97 - The court discussed the legal provisions of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, particularly Section 71 and Rule 97, and their application in the case. The court also referred to the Supreme Court's decision in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Maharaja Dharmander Prasad Singh, AIR1989 SC 997, and Ashoka Marketing Limited v. Punjab National Bank, AIR1991 SC 855, to interpret the rights of the parties and the applicability of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. The court emphasized the statutory duty of the Government and the procedure for eviction of unauthorized occupants under the KLR Act. It also highlighted the constitutional obligation of the Government to provide housing to the weaker sections of society and the limitations on the court's jurisdiction in policy decisions.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, an Education Trust, sought to quash an order terminating the lease of land granted by the State Government for the purpose of education and agriculture development. The petitioner contended that the termination of the lease was unauthorized and violated its right to continue occupation.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the petitioner's occupation of the land after the lease period had expired constituted unauthorized occupation. It held that the Government had a statutory duty to take action under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, to evict unauthorized occupants. The court also emphasized the Government's constitutional obligation to provide housing to the weaker sections of society.
Issues: The issues involved the termination of the lease, the petitioner's unauthorized occupation, and the Government's duty to provide housing to the weaker sections of society.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the termination of the lease was justified as the petitioner's occupation constituted unauthorized occupation after the lease period had expired. It emphasized the statutory duty of the Government under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, and the constitutional obligation to provide housing to the weaker sections of society.
Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed, and the petitioner was ordered to pay costs to the Government.
( 1 ) THE petitioner-Education Trust has filed this writ petition seeking for issuance of a writ of certiorari quashing the order dated 19-6-2004 passed by the 2nd respondent in No. LND (S) CR 223. 97-98 at Annexure-G urging various grounds.
( 2 ) THE case of the petitioner is that 57 acres of land in Sy. No. 225 of Somanahalli was granted permanently and 33 acres of land in the said survey number was leased in its favour for a period of 10 years by the State Government vide Government Order No. RD 153 LBG 62, dated 3-5-1962 for the purpose of development of agriculture along with the Education Activity. Pursuant to the said grant, it has constructed various buildings for the purpose of setting up of engineering and Diploma Colleges and High Schools. On an earlier occasion, petitioner had filed W. P. No. 26259 of 1991 when under the guise of "ashraya Scheme" some people tried to enter the property of the petitioner on the ground that sites have been allotted to them by the ashraya Committee. This Court disposed of the said writ petition on 29-10-1997 with a direction to the first respondent to consider the request of the petitioner for extension of the lease in respect of 33 acres of land. Subsequently, on the report sought for in this regard by the first respondent, the then Special Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore, has submitted a report in favour of the petitioner recommending for extension of the lease of land in question as per Annexure-E. Thereafter, despite the directions issued by this Court in the aforesaid writ petition, the matter is still pending consideration before the first respondent. In the meantime, the "ashraya committee" got their name entered in the record of rights for 33 acres of land in Sy. No. 225 of somanahalli and on the petition filed by the petitioner, after due enquiry the name of Ashraya committee was deleted and the name of the petitioner was restored. Once again, the 3rd respondent herein as member of Ashraya Committee, filed an application before the 2nd respondent for grant of 33 acres of land in the said survey number for their Committee and the 2nd respondent issued a show-cause notice to the petitioner. The petitioner appeared and filed its written submissions as per Annexure-F contending that R2 has no jurisdiction to conduct such an enquiry in respect of the land in question and that he is not the Competent Authority to initiate proceedings in the matter. Further, it is stated that even though the pendency of its representation before the first respondent and the directions issued by this Court in the aforesaid writ petition were brought to the notice of the 2nd respondent, he has not considered the same and proceeded to pass an order as per Annexure-G in exercise of his power under Section 71 of the KLR Act read with Rule 97 of the KLR Rules of 1966 to appropriate 33 acres of land in Sy. No. 225 of somanahalli for the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation and further directed the first respondent to terminate the lease. Hence, the present writ petition is filed. It is stated that after filing of this writ petition, the 2nd respondent has issued Annexure-H, dated 10-8-2004 wherein the Tahsildar is authorised to survey the land and secure possession of 33 acres of land from out of the entire campus and hand over to Rajiv Gandhi Housing Centre. Hence the petitioner has filed. A. No. I of 2004 seeking to restrain the respondents, their officers or agents or anybody claiming under them from proceeding further pursuant to the impugned orders produced at Annexures-G and H.
( 3 ) IT is contended by the learned Senior Counsel Mr. S. P. Shankar appearing for the petitioner that the 2nd respondent has no authority to recommend the Government to terminate the lease of the land in question as it affects the valuable right of the petitioner-institution to continue in occupation as its possession is juridical after efflux of time of lease period. The learned Senior counsel contends tha
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