PATNA HIGH COURT
Nagendra Prasad Singh and B.S.Sinha JJ.
Devendra Prasad Gupta
Versus
State Of Bihar
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No. 1569 of 1972 ;
Decided On : JANUARY 12, 1977
Bihar Tenancy Act, 1885, Sec. 104 & Rule 63A (c) & 76 - Order passed by the Charge Officer - Appeal lies to the Commissioner of the Division. (Para 5)
Bihar Tenancy Act, Sec 103 A (3) - Sec 104 (a) & Rule 63A (c) - Revenue Officer Specially empowered may within 3 months of any order or any decision revise any order or any decision on any objection either passed by himself or by any other officer under sub-sec (1) or on his own motion before the final publication - The charge officer being a Revenue - Officer can direct the Assistant Settlement Officer to re-open the case and dispose it of - Reasonable notice must however be given to the parries and he must be heard before an order is passed - An appeal lies against such an order u/s 104 (a) to the Commissioner of the Division - Appeal can be filed within 2 months of the order. (Para 4 & 5)
Constitution of India Art 226 & 227 - Quashing of one illegal order resulting into revival of another illegal order - High Court quashed both the orders.
(Relied on 1960 BLJR 282) (Para 7)
NAGENDRA PRASAD SINGH, J.
1. This is an implication under Arts. 226 and 227 of the Constitution filed on behalf of the petitioner for quashing a resolution dated the 21st September, 1972 of the Additional Member, Board of Revenue, a copy whereof is Annexure-1 to the writ application. By the impugned resolution, the respondent-Additional Member, Board of Revenue has set aside an order dated 3-7-1969 passed by the respondent Charge Officer, a copy whereof is Annexure-5 to the writ application.
2. It appears that in the district of Saharsa steps for preparation of record of rights in accordance with the provisions contained in Chapter X of the Bihar Tenancy Act, 1885 (hereinafter to be referred to as the Act) were taken and the respondent Assistant Settlement Officer prepared a draft record of rights which was published in the prescribed manner. Respondent No. 6 filed an objection which was heard by the said Assistant Settlement Officer, and he, by his order dated 29-5-1949, corrected the said draft publication by deleting the name of the petitioner in respect of several plots which had been shown in his possession in the draft publication. A copy of the said order is Annexure-2 to the writ application. Being aggrieved by the said order, this petitioner filed an application which was addressed to the Settlement Officer, Saharsa making a grievance about the order dated 29-5-1969 and praying therein that he should be given opportunity to produce relevant materials, as the correction on the objection filed by respondent No. 6 had been made without hearing the petitioner. The Charge Officer who was a revenue officer specially appointed by the State Government, on 3-7-1969, passed the following order on the application filed by this petitioner: "Heard.
The A.S.O. is allowed to reopen the case and dispose in accordance with law after hearing all the parties concerned. Sd. P. K. Singh, C. O. 3-7-1969." .
A copy of the application of the petitioner along with the orders passed thereon, as aforesaid, is annexed to the supplementary affidavit filed on behalf of the petitioner and has been marked as Annexure-5. It is said that this order dated 3-7-1969 was passed by the respondent Charge Officer without hearing respondent No. 6. Respondent No. 6 also filed an application for review of this order before the Charge Officer concerned, but before any final order could be passed on that application, the dispute was heard by the Assistant Settlement Officer before whom the petitioner as well as respondent No. 6 appeared and the Assistant Settlement Officer, by his order dated 25-7-1969, only partially corrected the draft publication of the record of rights, i.e., he accepted some of the objections raised by respondent No. 6, but rejected the same in respect of the remaining plots. A copy of the said order is annexed as Annexure-3 to the writ application. The petitioner as well as respondent No. 6 being aggrieved by order dated 25-7-1969 filed two revision applications before the Charge Officer, under sub-s. (3) of S. 103-A of the Act. The Charge Officer, however, allowed the revision application filed on behalf of the petitioner, but dismissed that filed on behalf of respondent No. 6. by his order dated 1-2-1971. A copy of the said order is Annexure-4 to the writ application.
3. It is an admitted position that respondent No. 6 filed applications by way of appeals to the Commissioner, Bhagalpur Division as then Saharsa district was within his jurisdiction (we are informed now it is within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner, Kosi Division). It appears that the Commissioner, Bhagalpur Division dismissed the appeals in limine on 30-11-1971 saying that other remedies were available to respondent No. 6. Thereafter, resipondent No. 6 filed revision applications before the Member, Board of Revenue which were heard by the Additional Member, Board of Revenue who passed the impugned order on 21-9-1972, as already stated above. The Additional Membe
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