IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
N.V. ANJARIA, J.C. DOSHI, JJ.
District Collector Kutch – Appellant
Versus
Sitaben Poonamchand Acharya – Respondent
Letters Patent Appeal No. 527 of 2022, Special Civil Application No. 18102 of 2016, Civil Application (For Stay) No. 1 of 2020
Decided On : 06-07-2023
Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 - Section 63 - Bombay Land Revenue Rules - Rule 108(6) - Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kachchh Area) Act, 1958 - Sections 100 and 122 - Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act 1976 - Section 34 - Land - Registered sale deed - Documents are fabricated - Appeal is directed against judgment and order passed by learned Single Judge, whereby learned Single Judge held that order passed by Collector in Appeal is bad in law and hence, quashed and set aside order – Held, Court finds that there is nothing in Letters Patent Appeal which permits Court to take different view - Impugned order is just, correct and legal - When statutory provision for exercise of suo motu powers of revision does not contemplate any limitation, law is settled that such power must be exercised within reasonable period of time - When statute is silent about period of limitation, authorities are required to initiate said proceedings within reasonable period - No doubt, what would be reasonable time would depend upon facts of each case, but by no means, it can be initiated after inordinate delay of 10 years - Appeal is dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
J.C. DOSHI, J.
1. This intra Court appeal under clause 15 of the Letters Patent is directed against the judgment and order dated 26.7.2019 delivered in Special Civil Application No. 18102 of 2016 passed by the learned Single Judge, whereby the learned Single Judge held that the order passed by the Collector in Appeal/Jaman/108(6) Case No. 82 of 2016 is bad in law and hence, quashed and set aside the order.
2. Facts are briefly stated as, the original petitioners have purchased land bearing survey No. 323/2 situated at village Mithirohar, Tal: Gandhidham, Dist: Kachchh on 12.7.2004 from one Vasantkumar Karsandas Bhanushali, by way of registered sale deed. The registered sale deed has been given effect by the revenue department by mutating entry No. 2940 in favour of the original petitioners on 21.10.2004. After a span of three years, the Secretary and Commissioner (Land Development), Revenue Department, Gandhinagar addressed a letter dated 3.4.2012 to the Collector, Kachchh stating that the original petitioners and their family members are not agriculturists. The documents, which are produced for claiming to be agriculturist are fabricated and hence, there is breach of section 63 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 (in short “the Tenancy Act”). The letter indicates to take necessary steps. Pursuant to such letter, the Collector initiated suo motu proceedings and took the revenue entry into appeal under Rule 108(6) of the Bombay Land Revenue Rules (in short “the Rules”) being case No. 82 of 2016. The order dated 19.8.2016 has culminated into proceedings, whereby the Collector dropped the proceedings and further directed the Mamlatdar and ALT, Gandhidham to carry out proceedings under sections 100 and 122 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kachchh Area) Act, 1958 and to complete the same within six months.
3. Since the action of the Collector has taken after a period of 10 years, the original petitioners approached the learned Single Judge by way of filing captioned Special Civil Application seeking relief to quash and set aside the order dated 19.8.2016 passed by the respondent No. 1-Collector in Appeal/Jaman/108(6)/Case No. 82 of 2016 and permanently restrain the respondent No. 2- Mamlatdar from taking any action in furtherance of the impugned order of respondent no. 1 and not to disturb mutation entry No. 2940, 5393 and 5557.
4. The learned Single Judge allowed the petition in two counts. Firstly, that the contemplation of the Collector for taking the suo motu review against the entry mutated and certified in the revenue records in the year 2006 after 10 years is in teeth of law as has been settled by the Hon’ble Apex Court in case of State of Gujarat vs. Raghav Natha and Others, AIR 1969 SC 1297 and secondly, the Secretary (Revenue Department) has believed that the original petitioners and his family members are agriculturists. The order of the Special Secretary (Revenue Department) has been confirmed in Special Civil Application No. 16826 of 2014 and allied matters. The said order is affirmed in onward proceedings in Letters Patent Appeal (Stamp) No. 1482 of 2014 by the Division Bench of this Court and in SLP (Diary) No. 44474 of 2018 before the Hon’ble Apex Court.
5. The above consideration has become reason for the learned Single Judge to allow the petition and to quash and set aside the order under challenge of the Collector. The State of Gujarat is aggrieved by the impugned order and as such takes the exception of it by filing this Letters Patent Appeal.
6. Heard learned AGP Mr. L.B. Dabhi for the appellants and learned advocate Ms. Archana Acharya for the respondents-original petitioners.
7. Facts which are stated herein above are undisputed. The original petitioners have purchased the agricultural land vide registered sale deed on 12.7.2004 from its owner. In view of Chapter XA of the Gujarat Land Revenue Code, the effect of the registered sale has been given in the
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Authority must exercise revisional powers within a reasonable time to ensure legal rights are not unjustly compromised.
Revisional powers in land disputes must be exercised within a reasonable time; otherwise, established agricultural rights cannot be annulled.
The delay of 11 years in exercising suo motu powers renders such actions arbitrary, violating established legal rights under registered sale deeds.
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