1993 Supreme(Guj) 330
Gujarat High Court
Judgename :D.G.Karia
Balu Rama Bhurada - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondent
S.C.A.5015 of 1983
Decided On : 09/01/1993
Headnote:Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960 - Sec. 21 - Constitution of India 1950, Art. 363 - Bar to interference in disputes arising out of certain treaties & agreements - Applicability - There is nothing on record to show that land was granted to entire village by way of covenant by Junagarh State and that alleged covenant continued in force after the commencement of Constitution - It can not be accepted that on account of covenant Act was not applicable and in absence of legislation to revoking the covenant order declaring the land in excess of ceiling area & ordering to vest the same in State Government under Sec. 21 of the Act can not be validly made.
In view of the provisions of Article 363 and particularly when there is nothing on the record to show that the alleged covenant continued in force after the commencement of the Constitution, the submission on behalf of the petitioners that the land cannot be held to be surplus on account of the covenant and in absence of a legislation revoking the covenant cannot be accepted.
[Para 6]
Bombay General Clauses Act, 1904 - Sec. 3(35) - Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960 - Sec. 2(21) & (6) - Expression of word `Person in Sec. 6 of the Act - Meaning of - In view of the definition of person under sec. 3(35) of Bombay General Clause Act - It can not be said that word `Person occurring in Sec. 6 of the Act, will not include the entire village persons of petitioner village and as such provisions of the Act can not be made applicable to the lands in question.
In view of the definition of person in Bombay General Clauses Act, the persons of the petitioners village can be said to be person within the meaning of sec. 6 of the Land Ceiling Act. Mr. U submitted that the definition of person in the Bombay General Clauses Act cannot be resorted to when the Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, has defined the term person Court finds no force in this submission. Court therefore, rejects it.
[Para 10]
( 1 ) THIS petition is directed against the decision dated February 16, 1983 rendered in Revision Application No. TEN. B. R. 113 of 1982 by the Gujarat Revenue tribunal. By the impugned decision, the learned Member of the Gujarat Revenue tribunal rejected the revision application of the petitioners herein and confirmed the judgment dated August 3, 1982 passed by the Deputy Collector, Porbandar, in Land ceiling Appeal No. 6/82. The Deputy Collector, Porbandar, by his said judgment, confirmed the judgment and order of the Mamlatdar and A. L. T. , Mangrol, passed on april 22, 1982 in ceiling Case No. 2/77 holding that the petitioners are in possession of 79 acres-27 Gunthas of land in excess of the ceiling area and ordering to vest the same in the state Government under section 21 of the Gujarat Agricultural Lands Ceiling Act, 1960 (for short, "the Land Ceiling Act" ).
( 2 ) THE petitioners have been holding agricultural lands to the extent of 114 Acres 27 gunthas in village Divraha Shil of Mangrol Taluka of Junagadh District It is the case of the petitioners that the erstwhile Nawab of Junagadh princely State allotted the land-Survey Nos. 59 to 133, admeasuring 114 Acres-27 Gunthas to the entire Shil village for the purpose of grazing the cattle of the village. It is also the case of the petitioners that grass has been growing naturally in the aforesaid land and the same is being utilized by the people of village Shil.
( 3 ) THE learned Mamlatdar and Agricultutal Lands Tribunal, Mangrol, after issuing necessary notices to concerned parties and after hearing them, by his judgment and order dated April 22, 1982, came to the conclusion that the petitioners held the agricultural land to the extent of 79 Acres-27 Gunthas in excess of the ceiling area. The Mamlatdar, therefore, odered to vest the said land in the State under section 21 of the Land Ceiling act. The petitioners being aggrieved by the said decision of the Mamlatdar, preferred appeal, being Land Ceiling Appeal No. 6/82 before the Deputy Collector at Porbandar. The Deputy Collector, Porbandar, by his judgment dated August 3, 1982, dismissed the appeal, upholding the judgment of the Mamlatdar and A. L. T. The petitioners thereupon preferred Revision Application No. TEN. B. R. 133 of 1982 before the Gujarat Revenue tribunal against the above judgment of the Deputy Collector. The learned member of the gujarat Revenue Tribunal, by his impugned decision, dismissed the revision application and confirmed the judgments of the Courts below. It is against this judgment that the petitioners have approached this Court by way of the present petition. 1. 9. 1993 mr. G. R. Udwani, learned Advocate appearing for the petitioners Advocate Mr. N. D. Nanavati, has raised the following points: (1) Erstwhile Junagadh State granted the land in question to the entire village by way of covenant and this grant being the act of sovereign power cannot be withdrawn, unless a legislation to that effect is enacted. (2) The Tribunal ought to have held that provisions of section 6 of the Land ceiling Act would not be applicable to the lands in question, inasmuch as the word "person" will not include the entire village and as such the act cannot be made applicable to the lands in question, (3) Having regard to the objects and reasons of the Land Ceiling Act, the entire village is using the land and as such the object of the Act can be said to have been achieved. I shall deal with and dispose of the aforesaid contentions of Mr. Udwani"seriatim.
( 4 ) MR. Udwani firstly contends that the erstwhile Junagadh State had granted the land in question to the entire village by way of covenant The petitioners have, however, not placed a copy of any such covenant on record whereby the land in question is alleged to have been granted to the entire village, The petitioners are also not aware of the terms and conditions of the covenant, if any. The petitioners did not raise this point before the courts be