IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
SANDEEP KUMAR, J.
CWJC No.17954 of 2018
(22.9.2023)
Jagarnath Jha @ Jagannath Jha ... Petitioner
vs.
State of Bihar & Ors. ... Respondents
Jamabandi – Cancellation – Power of State for cancellation of longstanding Jamabandi cannot be exercised in a casual manner – Jamabandi in favour of father of petitioner is of year 1935 and rent receipts have also been issued in favour of father of petitioner by competent authority – However, acting upon recommendation of Circle Officer, Additional Collector by impugned order has cancelled Jamabandi of petitioner which is of year 1935, after 83 years of creation of Jamabandi – If State is disputing longstanding Jamabandi of petitioner over land in question then only option left to State is to approach competent Civil Court – Impugned order set aside – Writ petition allowed. (Paras 10, 12 and 13)
Sandeep Kumar, J. – This application has been filed for setting aside the order dated 09.05.2018 passed by the Additional Collector, Madhubani in Jamabandi Cancellation Case No.06 of 2017-18, by which the Additional Collector has cancelled the Jamabandi No.472 which was running in the name of the father of the petitioner since 1935.
2. The short facts of this case, as stated in the writ petition, are that the land bearing Khata No. 224, Khesra No. 1004 measuring total area 18 Katthas and 8 dhurs was recorded as Gairmazarua Aam in Cadastral Survey Khatiyan but in the remarks column name of several persons were recorded, who were already in possession of the respective lands. Originally, the land in question belonged to Darbhanga Raj. In the year 1935, about 12 Khatas of land was settled in favour of the father of the petitioner on the basis of his possession over the said land after realizing Rs.58/- as Salami. Thereafter, Jamabandi No.472 was created and the ancestors of the petitioner were in peaceful possession of the said land. After vesting of Zamindari, return of Jamabandi was filed for the said land, rent was paid till the year 2012-13. After creation of jamabandi, the ancestors of the petitioner were in peaceful possession over the land in question but a dispute took place in the year 2004 between the petitioner's family and one Ramdeo Sah, who lodged a complaint against the petitioner and his family members for committing theft of mangoes from the orchard, which was situated on the land in question and the Magistrate took cognizance against the petitioner and his family members. After passing of cognizance order by the Magistrate, the petitioner and his family members approached this Court for quashing of the cognizance order and the same has been quashed by this Court.
3. It is the case of the petitioner that after quashing of the cognizance order, the Circle Officer acting upon an application filed by Ramdeo Sah directed the Amin to measure and demarcate the land and submit a report in this regard. After submission of the report, the petitioner received a notice dated 12.06.2017 issued by the Additional Collector, Madhubani in Jamabandi Cancellation Case No.06/2017-18 by which the petitioner was directed to appear on 21.06.2017 and accordingly the petitioner appeared before the Additional Collector, Madhubani and filed a detailed written statement and requested the Additional Collector to reject the Jamabandi Cancellation Case No.06/2017-18. However, by the impugned order dated 09.05.2018, the Additional Collector cancelled the Jamabandi of the petitioner which was running in the name of the father of the petitioner since 1935. Hence, this writ petition.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the impugned order of the Additional Collector cancelling the long standing Jamabandi of the petitioner is illegal as he has no jurisdiction to cancell a long standing Jamabandi in a summary proceeding. He further submits that the Additional Collector while cancelling the Jamabandi of the petitioner has not appreciated the fact that the land in question was settled in the name of the father of the petitioner in the year 1935 and since then the petitioner and his family are in peaceful possession of the aforesaid land.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that the Additional Collector has cancelled the Jamabandi of the petitioner on the basis of the recommendation of the Circle Officer and the Sub Divisonal Officer without adopting the formalities as prescribed under law and also without considering the fact that a long standing Jamabandi cannot be cancelled in a summary proceeding.
6. In support of his submissions, learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon the following judgments of this Court in the case of Yogendra Prasad Shukla @ Yogendra vs. State of Bihar reported in 2008 (3) PLJR 395; Kamlesh vs. The State of Bihar reported in 2008 (2) PLJR 466 and case of Ramnandan Singh vs. The Stat
The court affirmed the necessity of upholding the right to fair hearing and proper consideration of evidence in administrative decisions regarding land ownership.
Long-standing post-vesting Jamabandi cannot be cancelled by revenue authorities without statutory authority; title and possession disputes must be resolved exclusively by civil courts.
A Jamabandi can be cancelled if found to be created without jurisdiction or through fraud, reaffirming its administrative nature.
Long-standing Jamabandi cannot be cancelled in summary proceedings as it undermines previously established property rights without due process.
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