JUDGMENT :

MADHURESH PRASAD, J.

1. By this writ application, the petitioner has sought quashing of the entire proceedings arising out of Certificate Case No. 3 of 2021-2022, including the notice dated 14-07-2021 issued under Section 7 of the Bihar and Orissa Public Demands Recovery Act, 1914 (for short ‘the Act’). The petitioner has also sought a direction restraining the respondents from proceeding further with the Certificate Proceedings.

2. It is submitted by Mr. Prabhat Ranjan, learned counsel for the petitioner that the amount of Rs. 13,53,362/- which is sought to be recovered, as a ‘public demand’ within the meaning of Section 3(6) of the Act, is not a public demand.

3. In view of the said submission, it is considered useful by this Court to reproduce Section 3(6) of the Act which defines public demand:

“3(6) “Public demand” means any arrear or money mentioned or referred to in Schedule I and includes any interest which may, by law, be chargeable thereon upto the date on which a certificate is signed under Part II.”

4. In view of the reference to Schedule I in the definition of “Public demand” Schedule I also requires to be considered. Schedule I of the Act enumerates the circumsta