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1994 Supreme(Raj) 109

High Court Of Rajasthan
Judgename : B.R. Arora
Nijamuddin - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondent
S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous Petition No. 658 of 1993
Decided On : 03/23/1994

Advocates:
Appearance :
J.R. Patel, for the Appellant
K.L. Thakur, Public Prosecutor and Sadul Singh, for the Respondents

Only the Municipal Board can file a complaint for the contravention of any of the provisions of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, Rules or the Bye-laws. An individual cannot be allowed to file a complaint and to launch prosecution for vindicating his personal grievances.

Headnote:

RAJASTHAN MUNICIPALITIES ACT - SECTION 203 - ENCROACHMENT AND OBSTRUCTION UPON PUBLIC LAND - MAINTAINABILITY OF COMPLAINT BY PRIVATE PARTY - ONLY MUNICIPAL BOARD CAN FILE COMPLAINT FOR CONTRAVENTION OF PROVISIONS OF ACT - INDIVIDUAL CANNOT FILE COMPLAINT FOR VINDICATING PERSONAL GRIEVANCES.

Fact of the Case:

Anoop Singh filed a complaint under Section 341, IPC and Sections 117 and 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act against the petitioner Nijamuddin and the proprietors of Pathan Auto Service and Kureshi Transports for making encroachment on public way by raising constructions of shops without permission from the Municipal Board. The Magistrate took cognizance against the petitioner for the offence under Section 203 of the Act and issued bailable warrant for his presence.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that only the Municipal Board can file a complaint for the contravention of any of the provisions of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, Rules or the Bye-laws. An individual cannot be allowed to file a complaint and to launch prosecution for vindicating his personal grievances. The cognizance taken by the Magistrate on the complaint filed by an individual complainant was mala fide and the order taking cognizance against the petitioners was quashed.

Issues: Whether an individual can file a complaint for encroachment and obstruction upon public land under Section 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act.

Ratio Decidendi: Section 265 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act authorises the Municipal Board to direct any prosecution for any public nuisance and for the punishment of any person offending the provisions of the Act or of any rule or the Bye-laws made there under. The object of the criminal justice system is to protect the society from internal disorder or disruption and to ensure social harmony and law and order. Criminal law is not meant to be used as an instrument of wrecking personal vengeance. An individual cannot be allowed to file a complaint and launch prosecution for vindicating his personal grievances.

Final Decision: The miscellaneous petition filed by the petitioner was allowed, the order of the Magistrate taking cognizance against the petitioners was quashed and set aside, and the complaint filed by the complainant was dismissed. The Municipal Board was allowed to prosecute the petitioner(s) under Section 203 of the Act for removal of the encroachment, if any, by way of prosecution or any other method provided under the Act.

Judgment

B.R. Arora, J.-This miscellaneous petition is directed against the order dated 14-10-93, passed by the Munsif and Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Bilara (Camp Pipar City), by which the learned Magistrate took cognizance against the petitioners for the offence under Section 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act and issued bailable warrant in the sum of Rs. 3 000/-for procuring the presence of the; accused-petitioner.

2. Anoop Singh filed a complaint under Section 341, IPC and Sections 117 rid 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act against the petitioner Nijamuddin and the proprietors of Pathan Auto Service, Bus Stand, Bilara, and Kureshi Transports, Bus Stand, Bilara, in the Court of the Munsif and Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Bilara. It was alleged in the complaint that the complainant is the owner of the land bearing ‘Khasra Number 1978 of Bilara Chak Number 1, which abuts on public way. An obstruction over this land was made by Nijamuddin on 4-6-81, by raising constructions of the shops measuring 14’ x 26’. The construction of these two shops have been made by Nijamuddin without taking any permission from the Municipal Board and he has given one shop on rent to Pathan Auto Service, Bus Stand, Bilara, and the other shop to Kureshi Transport Company, Bus Stand, Bilara, who are in the possession of these shops. Nijamuddin has applied for conversion of this land in the office of the Additional District Magistrate (Land Conversion), Jodhpur, and the land was converted and the Patta was issued in his favour, which was challenged by the complainant in a revision petition before the Board of Revenue, Rajasthan, Ajmer. The revision petition, filed by the complainant, was allowed and the Patta, granted in favour of Nijamuddin was cancelled. Nijamuddin filed a Special Appeal before the Board of Revenue, which was, also, dismissd. He challenged the order passed by the Board of Revenue before the. High Court by way of filing a writ petition and the writ petition, filed by Nijamuddin, was, also, dismissed. The petitioner was held to be trespasser by the Board of Revenue as well as by the High Court and on that basis the order under challenge was cancelled. It has, also, been averred in the complaint that in spite of the judgments against him, Nijamuddin or his tenants have not removed the obstruction on the public way and have committed a criminal trespass and, therefore, the cognizance may be taken against them and they may be tried and after trial adequately punished. The learned Magistrate sent the complaint for investigation under Section 156(3), CrPC. to the Station House Officer, Police Station, Bilara, who, after investigation, presented the final report. After the receipt of the final report, the learned Magistrate issued notice to the complainant. After the service of the notice, complainant Anoop Singh was examined as

P.W. 1. Thereafter the learned Magistrate refused to take any cognizance under Section 341, IPC and Section 117 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, as according to the learned Magistrate the ingredients of these offences were not present, but, however, he took cognizance against the petitioner for the offence under Section 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act as according to the learned Magistrate the petitioner has made encroachment on the public way. The Court after taking cognizance issued bailable warrant to procure the presence of the accused-petitioners.

3. It is contended by the learned Counsel for the petitioners that for the offence under Section 203 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, it is only the Municipal Board which can file a complaint and any individual has no locus standi to file a complaint and, therefore, the learned Magistrate committed an error in taking the cognizance against the petitioners on a complaint filed by an individual who has no locus standi to file the same. So far as the dispute between the petitioners and the complainant is concerned, that, at the best, ca







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