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2023 Supreme(Kar) 1418

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
B.M. Shyam Prasad, J.
Chiranjeevi and Others – Petitioners
Versus
The State of Karnataka and Others – Respondent
Writ Petition No. 12321 of 2022, Writ Petition No. 8718 of 2021
Decided On : 06-10-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Sunil S. Rao
For the Respondents: Shamanth S. Naik, Varun Papireddy, H.K. Paramesh Kumar

The jurisdiction of the Tahsildar under the Karnataka Village Offices Abolition Act is limited to specified questions, necessitating civil proceedings for determining complex ownership issues.

Headnote:(A) Karnataka Village Offices Abolition Act, 1961 - Sections 3 and 5 - Writ petitions challenging regrant of rights to land, derived from a legacy dispute among legal heirs of an original village office holder - Contest over competing claims of descendants from two lineages, with the pending civil suit affecting ownership determination - Clarity required in such rights during the conclusion of pending proceedings. (Paras 2, 11, 15)

(B) Jurisdiction issues under the KVOA Act - The Tahsildar lacks jurisdiction to determine rights not directly provided for under Sections 3 (1) and 5 of the KVOA Act. (Paras 13, 14)

Facts of the case:
The dispute centers around rights of lands in Alambady village among the legal heirs of an original village office holder. The heirs contend for shares derived under the Last Will of Smt. Muniyamma, adding complexity due to contesting claims from her descendants and the subsequent legal entanglements.

Findings of Court:
The Court reiterated the necessity for pending civil suit resolutions to determine exact ownership rights, upholding the revenue entries until decided in O.S. No. 82/2016.

Issues: The core issue addressed was the legitimacy of claims made by various descendants and the jurisdiction of the Tahsildar in resolving these competing rights.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court emphasized that jurisdiction concerning the rightful ownership of shares under the KVOA Act does not extend to adjudicating on matters beyond its explicit provisions, thereby necessitating resolution through civil litigation.

Result: Petitions disposed of, with directions for revenue entry to remain effective pending the outcome of O.S. No. 82/2016.

Table of Content
1. dispute regarding property regrant among heirs (Para 1 , 2)
2. genealogy and claims of inheritance (Para 3 , 4 , 5)
3. historical context and procedural history of claims (Para 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10)
4. allegations of procedural impropriety against the tahsildar (Para 11 , 12)
5. scope of jurisdiction under kvoa act relative to property claims (Para 13 , 14 , 15)
6. order upholding revenue entries pending suit resolution (Para 16)

ORDER :

1. These petitions are filed impugning the order dated 21.04.2021 in INA.CR.325/1978-79 by the Tahsildar, Malur Taluk, Kolar District and for quashing the revenue entry in MR No. T.37/2021-22 for the different lands in Alambady village, Lakkur Hobli, Malur Taluk, Kolar District. The writ petition in WP No. 8718/2021 is filed for quashing the order dated 21.04.2021 and the writ petition in WP No. 12321/2022 is for quashing the revenue entry in MR No. T.37/2021-22. The dispute relates to regrant of rights to the following lands in Alambady village, Lakkur Hobli, Malur Taluk, Kolar District:

(a) Land bearing Sy. No. 16, measuring 28 guntas.

(b) Land bearing Sy. No. 18, measuring 10 guntas.

(c) Land bearing Sy. No. 19, measuring 2 acres 21 guntas.

(d) Land bearing Sy. No. 54, measuring 5 acres 13 guntas.

(e) Land bearing Sy. No. 65, measuring 4 guntas.

(f) Land bearing Sy. No. 71, measuring 1 Acres 28 guntas.

(g) Land bearing Sy. No. 161, measuring 25 guntas.

These properties for convenience are referred to as “subject properties.”

2. The dispute is amongst the legal heirs of the original Holder of an inferior Village office, Sri. Thoti Muniga, who has died leaving behind his two sons, Sri. Thoti Papanna and Sri. Thoti Thimmarayappa. Smt. Doddamaduramma is the wife of Sri. Thoti Papanna and Smt. Chikkamaduramma is the wife of Sri. Thoti Thimmarayappa, and all these four persons are deceased. There is no dispute that certain grand children of Smt. Muniyamma, wife of Sri. Hanumanthappa, the daughter of Sri. Thoti Papanna and Smt. Doddamaduramma, because of bequeath by Smt. Doddamadduramma, would be entitled to contemporaneous re-grant and for half a share in the subject properties, but the controversy is about the remaining half share in the subject properties that Sri. Thoti Thimmarayappa/Smt. Chikkamadduramma would have been entitled to.

3. This Court must observe that the claim for this half share has resulted in a protracted dispute amongst the petitioners, who assert legacy under the Last Will and Testament executed by Smt. Muniyamma [the daughter of Thoti Thimmarayappa and Smt. Chikkamadduramma], and the legal representatives of Sri. Talwar Chikkanna @ Chikkonu and Smt. Chikkamadduramma. It is stated that Smt. Chikkamadduramma, after the demise of Sri. Thoti Thimmarayappa, has remarried Sri. Talwar Chikkanna @ Chikkonu. The genealogical tree of Sri. Thoti Muniga's family and the genealogical tree of Sri. Talwar Chikkanna @ Chikkonu and Smt. Chikkamaduramma are as follows:

The Genealogical Tree of Sri Thoti Papanna & Sri Thoti Thimmarayappa

Thoti Muniga

Doddamadduramma

Thoti Papanna

Hanumanthappa

H Muniyappa

Manjunath

Kumar

H Venkataswamy

Chiranjeevi

Gullamma

Lakshmamma

Venkatamma

Muniyamma

Thimmakka

Thimmakka

Venkatamma

Chikkamadduramma

Thoti

Thimmarayappa

Deceased

Muniyamma

Dinurappa

Died-

Issueless

Venkatappa

Died-

Issueless

The Genealogical Tree of Thoti Chikkanna @ Chikkonu and Smt. Chikkamaduramma

Talwar

Chikkanna@Chikkonu

Chikkamadduramma

A C Venkataswamy

Ediyaal

Narayanamma

Srinivas

Rathnappa

Munilakshmamma

Gurappa

Munilakshmamma

Lakshminarayana

4. This Court must advert to the pending civil suit before referring to the other proceedings culminating with the impugned order dated 21.04.2021. Sri. A. C. Venkataswamy and Sri. Gurappa [the sons of Smt. Chikkamadduramma and Sri. Talwar Chikkanna @ Chikkonu] have filed the suit in O.S. No. 46/2009(1) for declaration of title to Sri. Thoti Thimmarayappa's half share in the subject properties claiming under Chikkamadduramma. Sri. A. C. Venkataswamy and Sri. Gurappa have died, and their

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