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2005 Supreme(Raj) 20

High Court Of Rajasthan
Judgename : R.P. Vyas
State of Rajasthan - Appellant
Versus
Teja - Respondent
D.B. Civil Special Appeal No. 1118 of 2000
Decided On : 01/04/2005

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. H.R. Soni, Additional Government Advocate. Mr. L.R. Choudhary, for the Respondents.

The revisional power under Section 82 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 and Section 232 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 cannot be exercised after a period of one year from the date of the order sought to be revised, unless there is a case of fraud and public interest has suffered.

Headnote:

Sections 82 and 232 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 and the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 were analyzed by the Court. These sections provide for the revisional power of the Board of Revenue and the Collector, respectively. The Court held that the revisional power cannot be exercised after a period of one year from the date of the order sought to be revised, unless there is a case of fraud and public interest has suffered. The Court also emphasized that the exercise of power after an unreasonable delay is arbitrary and void under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

Fact of the Case:

The respondent filed a declaratory suit claiming tenancy rights over a piece of land. The suit was decreed in his favor, but after 13 years, the Collector made a reference to the Board of Revenue to set aside the decree. The Board of Revenue accepted the reference, but the Single Judge set aside their order. The Special Appeal against the Single Judge's decision was dismissed.

Finding of the Court:

The Court analyzed the provisions of Section 82 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956 and Section 232 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955. It held that the revisional power under these sections cannot be exercised after a period of one year from the date of the order sought to be revised, unless there is a case of fraud and public interest has suffered. The Court also emphasized that the exercise of power after an unreasonable delay is arbitrary and void under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the Board of Revenue committed an error in accepting the reference without satisfying the prerequisites for invoking the revisional power. The Single Judge's decision to set aside the Board's order was upheld.

Result: The Special Appeal was dismissed.

Judgment

N.N. Mathur, J.-This Special Appeal is directed against the Judgment of the learned Single Judge dated 04.04.1997, whereby he allowed the writ petition filed by the respondent Teja and set aside the order of the Board of Revenue dated 18.07.1992 following the Division Bench Judgment of this Court in Anandi Lal vs. State of Rajasthan, reported in 1995 (1) RLR 555.

2. Briefly stated the facts of the case are that the first respondent Teja filed a declaratory suit under Section 88 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955, hereinafter referred to as "the Act of 1955", against Chhoga and fourth respondent Bhera in the Court of Assistant Collector, Bhinmal. He claimed to be in the cultivatory possession of 58 bighas and 19 biswas of land in Khasra No. 100 in village, Metriwada, District Jalore, much prior to 110.1955 i.e. before coming into force the Act of 1955. Thus, according to him, he became khatedar tenant of the land in view of Section 15 of the Act of 1955 but at the time of first settlement, the said land was wrongly entered in the name of Chhoga, father of respondent No.3, who was working as his labourer. The said land was later-on transferred to the fourth respondent. According to first respondent Teja, it was a paper transaction and the possession of the land was never transferred to the fourth respondent Chhoga, father of respondent No. 3, as he himself was not having possession of the said land. Thus, the first respondent asserted that he was in cultivatory possession of the said land. After detailed enquiry, the suit was decreed in favour of the first respondent by the Judgment of the Assistant Collector, Bhinmal dated 05.07.1979. Accordingly, the land was mutated in the name of first respondent under Mutation No. 322 dated 16.08.1979. After 13 years, the Collector, Jalore made a reference under Section 232 of the Act of 1955 to the Board of Revenue for setting aside the decree and Judgment passed by the Assistant Collector, Bhinmal dated 05.07.1979. The Board of Revenue accepted the reference by Judgment dated 18.07.1992, which came to be set aside by the impugned Judgment of the learned Single Judge dated 04.04.1997.

3. It is contended by Shri H.R. Soni learned Additional Government Advocate, that the Judgment of the learned Single Judge is in conflict with the subsequent decision of this Court in State of Rajasthan vs. Board of Revenue, reported in 1996 WLR 559.

4. The controversy in both the cases, referred-to above, pertains to exercise of powers by the Board of Revenue after lapse of number of years under Section 82 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956, hereinafter referred to-as "the Act of 1956" and Section 232 of the Act of 1955.

5. For convenience, the provisions of Sections 82 of the Act of 1956 and Section 232 of the Act of 1955

are extracted as follows: "82. Power to call for records and proceedings and reference to State Government or Board.-The Settlement Commissioner or the Director of Land Records or a Collector may call for and examine the record of any case decided or proceedings held by any revenue Court or officer subordinate to him for the purpose of satisfying himself as to the legality or propriety of the order passed and as to the regularity of proceedings; and if he is of opinion that the proceedings taken or order passed by such subordinate Court or officer should be varied, cancelled or reversed, he shall refer the case with his opinion thereon for the orders of the Board, if the case is of a judicial nature or connected with settlement, or for the orders of the State Government if the case is of a non-judicial nature not connected with settlement; and the Board or the State Government, as the case may be, shall thereupon pass such order as it thinks fit. 232. Power to call for record and refer to the Board.-The Collector may call for and examine the record of any case or proceedings decided by or pending before and revenue Court subordinate to him for the purpose of satisfying himself
















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