JUDGMENT

1. These two writ petitions were, with the consent of parties, taken up for hearing together. While Writ Petition No. 3520/1994 challenges the order passed by the Financial Commissioner, Writ Petition No. 114/1994 assails an order passed by the Lieutenant Governor[1]. Since the litigation itself has had a chequered history, it would be pertinent to notice the following essential facts.

[1] LG

A. BACKGROUND FACTS

2. The dispute itself centers around land admeasuring 57 bighas and 4 biswas comprised in khasra Nos. 401 (2-7), 402 (3-3), 403 (4-16), 404 (5-18), 405 (3-19), 406 (6-2), 407 (4-16), 408 (4-17), 409 (2-13), 410 (4-16), 411 (4-16), 412 (6-11), 413 (5-3), 414 (4-16) and 415/2 (1.00) situated in village Siraspur, North-West district of Delhi. Undisputedly this piece of land was originally owned by Sat Naraian, Narender Kumar and Dev Raj Kohli, who were the recorded landholders. The original landholders are stated to have sold this land to one Land Trade Corporation in terms of sale deeds dated 29 January and 5 March 1970. The petitioner on the other hand asserts being in cultivatory possession of this very land since 1977-78. It is additionally urged that the land was pur