( 1 ) THIS order will dispose of the writ petition filed by certain land owners of village Bamnoli, Tehsil Mehrauli whereby they had challenged the impugned order of the Financial Commissioner purported to have been passed in the exercise of his powers under Section 42 of the East Punjab Holding (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948 (in short referred to as `the Act ). The facts in short relevant for deciding this appeal are:-

( 2 ) A notification under Section 14 (I) of the Act was issued on 08th September, 1993, for carrying out consolidation proceedings in village Bamnoli. The Consolidation Officer was appointed under the Act on June 13, 1996. The Consolidation Officer initiated consolidation proceedings by issuing a notification on June 21, 1996. On June 26, 1996, Advisory Committee under the Act was constituted to supervise the consolidation proceedings in the village. Applications were invited from the residents of the village for allotment and exchange of land for different purposes. After evaluating different holdings in the village a draft consolidation scheme was announced on 26. 11. 1996. Objections were invited from the residents to