The jurisdiction to decide disputes between a bargadar and the landowner in respect of certain matters, including the determination of questions of title to land incidental to the determination of bargadar status and share of produce, is exclusively conferred on the officer or authority appointed under Section 18 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955.

1. THE appellate orders in M. P. Cases Nos. 59 and 60 of 1972 passed by the learned sub-divisional Officer, Burdwan on june 1973 have been challenged in these two Rules. It appears that the predecessor-in-interest of petitioners Nos. 1 (a) to 1 (i) and petitioners Nos. 2 and 3 filed an application before the Bhagchas Officer kalna giving rise to Case no. 3 of 1963 claiming share of the produce for 1368. and 1369 B. ' S. in respect of dags Nos. 385 and 439 of khatian No. 50 of Pargana Raipur, Mouza mirpur, P.S. Kalna Dist. Burdwan. In the other case being B.C. Case No. 12 of 1967 the petitioners prayed for termination of bhag system in respect of the suit lands on account 'of failure by the opposite party to deliver the bhag produce. The applications were opposed and in the-written objection it was stated that the applicants had eight annas share in the disputed properties. The bhagchas Officer, Kalna in a trial on evidence held analogously dismissed both the application on the ground that the petitioners had failed to establish by evidence that the relationship between them and the opposite party was that of owner and bargadar. The Bhagchas Officer considered the dispute on two,, issues, namely, (1) whether the plaintiffs had adduced "sufficient reasons to believe that the opposite party was the bargadar under them" in respect of the suit lands and (2) whether the plaintiffs are the only owners of the suit lands. Both the issues, it appears, were found against the petitioners.

2. ON appeal the learned Sub-divisional Officer, Burdwan was of opinion that the determination of the controversy depended upon the determination of question of title of the suit lands which the appellate authority had no jurisdiction to make. "In this view he directed the parties in appeals there from to take necessary steps in Civil court regarding the same. The rules are directed against this order. Sections 18, 19 and 21 of the West bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 are as follows : -

18. jurisdiction to decide certain disputes :-

(1) Every dispute between a bagadar and the person whose land he cultivates in respect of 'any of the following matters, namely : -

(a) a division or delivery of the produce;

(b) recovery of produce under section 16a (p) termination of cultivation by the bargadar shall be decided by such officer or authority as the State government may appoint provided that no application for decision of any dispute in respect of the delivery of the produce referred to in clause (a) shall be entertained unless such application is presented to the officer or authority within two years from the date en which the delivery of the produce falls due. (2)If in deciding any dispute referred to in sub-section (1) or otherwise any question arises as to- whether a person is a bargadar or not and to whom the share of the produce is deliverable, such question shall be determined by the officer or authority mentioned in sub-section (1).

19. Appeal (1),an appeal shall lie 'to the - Sub-divisional Officer having jurisdiction over the area in which the land is situated against any order made under section 17 or -section 18 except where such order was made with the consent of the parties to the dispute. . . . . . . .

21. Bar of jurisdiction.-

(1) No order or other proceedings whatsoever under this, Chapter (Chapter III bargadars wards underlined supplied) shall be questioned in any civil court and no civil Court shall entertain any suit or proceeding in respect of any matter mentioned in sections 17 and 18. (3) If any question as to whether a person is or is not a bargadrarises in the course of any proceedings before any Civil or Criminal count, the Court shall refer it to the Officer or authority mentioned in sub-section (1) of Section 18 for decision. "

It will appear from the above provisions' that the jurisdiction to decide any question in respect of matters referred to Section 18 (1) has been conferred exclusively, on the officer or the authority mentioned