IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD
T.V. Nalawade, J.
Tulshiram – Appellant
Versus
Venkatrao – Respondent
Writ Petition Nos. 6055, 6056 of 2014
Decided On : 15-02-2019
Partition Deed - Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act - The court held that the issues related to contravention of provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act should be decided by the competent authority created under the special legislation and cannot be considered in a civil court proceeding.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner filed a proceeding to challenge the rejection of an application to frame additional issues regarding the partition deed and the contravention of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act. Another petition was filed to quash an order in a suit regarding the right of pre-emption and the legality of a sale.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the issues related to the contravention of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act should be decided by the competent authority created under the special legislation and not by the civil court. The trial court was held to have committed an error in rejecting the application filed by the petitioners.
Issues: The issues revolved around the rejection of the application to frame additional issues regarding the partition deed and the contravention of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act, as well as the right of pre-emption and the legality of a sale.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the issues related to the contravention of provisions of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act should be decided by the competent authority created under the special legislation and cannot be considered in a civil court proceeding.
Final Decision: The rule was made absolute, and the petitions were disposed of in favor of the petitioners.
T.V. Nalawade, J.
1. Heard.
2. Rule. With the consent of the parties, petitions are taken-up for final decision.
3. The first proceeding is filed to challenge the order passed by the learned Civil Judge, Junior Division, Chakur in RCS No. 143/2008 below Exhibit 28. This application was moved by the present petitioner herein praying for framing additional issue like, "Whether the partition deed executed between petitioner and his brother was null and void in view of provisions of Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947." This application is rejected by the trial Court.
4. In Writ Petition No. 6056 of 2014, the relief is claimed to quash and set aside the order made on Exh.83 in RCS No. 139/2007 pending before the same Court. This application was filed by the petitioner who was plaintiff in the suit and he is opposing the counter claim filed by the respondent in the said Suit. The said application was filed by the petitioner for framing the aforesaid issue, and referring the issue to the competent authority created under the aforesaid special legislation.
5. The submissions made by both the sides and the pleading which can be found in the plaint and orders, show that the property involved is a dry agricultural land admeasuring 52-R. Tulshiram and his brothers Vasant and Chandrakant had partitioned this land amongst themselves and they had started cultivating their separate portions. However, no partition was shown by creation of divisions in revenue record. When Tulshiram learnt that Venkatrao, the brother was about to alienate his portion of land, he filed Suit for relief of injunction. During pendency of the suit, Venkat transferred the property to Ram who is not the Member of joint family. As the property was transferred by Venkat, Tulshiram withdrew the suit filed for injunction and he filed another suit for relief of right of pre-emption in which application Exhibit 143 was filed praying for framing issue as to whether plaintiff proves that the partition deed is in contravention of the Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation & Consolidation of Holdings Act. The said application came to be rejected on 9.6.2014, which is the subject matter of challenge in Writ Petition No. 6055/2014. Although the suit was withdrawn, there was counter claim of the purchaser for relief of temporary injunction. That counter claim needs to be decided.
6. Learned counsel for the respondents submitted that the mutation made in favour of Ram and also of the partition have become final. He submits that the mutation made in favour of Ram was challenged by both the petitioners under the Maharashtra Revenue Code but they failed in that proceedings.
This Court has gone through the said order and it needs to be observed that the reasoning given by the Trial Court dealing with the circumstances is totally wrong and erroneous. Deciding a matter of right is one thing and deciding the contravention of provisions of aforesaid special enactment is a different thing. When a competent authority is created under special enactment, the said issue needs to be decided by the said authority only and that point cannot be considered in a proceeding filed for challenging the mutation.
7. This Court has carefully gone through the provisions of Section 36-A and 36-B of the aforesaid special legislation. Section 36-A creates bar of jurisdiction. It prescribes that whenever, there is a dispute, it needs to be decided by the authority created under this special legislation. Civil Court is not expected to entertain the dispute. Section 36-B shows that the If any suit instituted in any Civil Court or Mamlatdar's Court involves any issues which are required to be settled, decided or dealt with by any authority competent to settle, decide or deal with such issues under this Act, the Civil Court or Mamlatdar's Court shall stay the suit and refer such issues to such competent authority for determination. On receipt of such reference from the Civil Cour
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