1983 Supreme(Raj) 434
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT
Dwarka Prasad, J.
State Of Rajasthan - Appellant
Versus
Board Of Revenue and Ors. - Respondent
S.B.C.W.P. No. 3337 of 1974.
Decided On : 5-08-1983
The provisions of Section 15-A of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955, specifically override the provisions of Section 13 in respect of the lands situated in the Rajasthan Canal area, and there is no other provision according to which khatedari rights could accrue to the ex-jagirdar in his khudkasht holding situated in the Rajasthan Canal area.
Headnote:
TENANCY - RAJASTHAN TENANCY ACT, 1955 - SECTION 13, 15-A - RAJASTHAN LAND REFORMS AND RESUMPTION OF JAGIRS ACT, 1952 - SECTION 10 - RAJASTHAN CANAL AREA - KHATEDARI RIGHTS - EX-JAGIRDAR - TEMPORARY TENANT - TRANSFER OF RIGHTS - VOID SALE.
Fact of the Case:
Sanwal Dan, the ex-jagirdar of Thikana Dandusar, sold his rights in Khasra No. 133 to respondents No. 4 and 5, Bansbidan and Motidan, after the resumption of his jagir lands under the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952. The Assistant Colonisation Commissioner dismissed the application for mutation of their names in the record of rights, holding that Sanwal Dan was a temporary cultivation lease holder and could not transfer his tenancy rights. The Additional Colonisation Commissioner allowed the appeal, holding that Sanwal Dan became a khatedar tenant by virtue of Section 13 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955. The Board of Revenue dismissed the revision petition filed by the State of Rajasthan.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the provisions of Section 15-A of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955, specifically override the provisions of Section 13 in respect of the lands situated in the Rajasthan Canal area and there is no other provision according to which khatedari rights could accrue to the ex-jagirdar in his khudkasht holding situated in the Rajasthan Canal area. Therefore, Sanwal Dan did not possess any transferable rights in the land in question, and the sale effected by him in favor of respondents No 4 & 5 by means of a registered sale-deed dated July 7, 1970 was void and ineffective.
Issues: Whether the ex-jagirdar, Sanwal Dan, was entitled to khatedari rights in Khasra No. 133, which was situated in the Rajasthan Canal area, after the resumption of his jagir lands.
Ratio Decidendi: The court interpreted Section 15-A of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955, to mean that khatedari rights would not accrue to the ex-jagirdar in respect of lands situated in the Rajasthan Canal area, even if such lands were entered as khudkasht in the record of rights. The court also held that the ex-jagirdar would only have the rights of a tenant to whom such land is let out temporarily.
Final Decision: The court allowed the writ petition, quashed the orders passed by the Additional Colonisation Commissioner and the Board of Revenue, and restored the order passed by the Assistant Colonisation Commissioner.
JUDGMENT
1. - Sanwal Dan was formerly the Jagirdar of Thikana Dandusar in District Bikaner and his jagir lands were resumed in accordance with the provisions of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952 and were vested in the State of Rajasthan. Settlement and record operations in village Dandusar started on October 21, 1947 and were completed on May 9, 1948. Khasra No. 133, measuring 81 Bighas and 13 Biswas, was entered in the settlement records in the name of Sanwal Dan, who was then the jagirdar of Dandusar, as 'khudkast', A note was appended that the land in question was held by Sanwal Dan free of rent, as he was the jagirdar. By a sale-deed dated July 7, 1970 Sanwal Dan, the ex-jagirdar, sold his rights in Khasra No. 133 to respondents No. 4 and 5, Bansbidan and Motidan. After the sale-deed was duly registered respondents No. 4 and 5 made an application before the Tehsildar Colonisation, Rajasthan Canal Project, Bikaner for mutation of their names in the record of rights in place of Sanwaldan. As the land in question was included in a colony, within the meaning of the Rajasthan Colonisation Act, the Tehsildar Colonisation forwarded the application of respondents No. 4 and 5 with his report to the Assistant Colonisation Commissioner, Rajasthan Canal Project, Bikaner, who also held the powers of the Additional Land Records Officer under the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act 19 6. The Assistant Colonisation Commissioner found that the land was recorded as 'Muafi' in the revenue records and held that Sanwaldan was a temporary cultivation lease holder and as such he could not have transferred his tenancy rights to the respondents No. 4 and 5. The application for mutation was dismissed by the Assistant Colonisation Commissioner by his order dated December 16, 1961. Banshidan and Motidan respondents No. 4 and 5 preferred an appeal, against the aforesaid order, before the Additional Colonisation Commissioner, Rajasthan Canal Project, who is also the Revenue Appellate Authority for the Rajasthan Canal Project area. The Additional Colonisation Commissioner, following two decisions of the Board of Revenue in State of Rajasthan v. Mohansingh 1970 RRD 23 and State of Rajasthan v. Padamsingh 1970 RRD 58 decided that as the land in question was formerly held by the then jagirdar Sanwaldan so 'khudkasht', the ex-jagirdar Sanwaldan became a khatedar tenant thereof, by virtue of the provisions of Section 13 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955. It was observed that as Sanwaldan himself was the owner of the land before the date of resumption, he could not be held to have let out the land to himself before the resumption thereof and as much the land in question could not be considered to have been 'leased out'. Thus, according to the Additional Colonisation Commissioner, Section 15-A of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 (here in after referred to as 'the Act') was not applicable to the land of the former jagirdar, which was entered as 'khudkasht' & as such khatedari rights accrued therein by virtue of the provisions of Section P of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, which could be lawfully transferred by him The appeal preferred by the respondents No. 4 and 5 was consequently allowed and the Additional Colonisation Commissioner, by his order dated 15th February, 1973, directed that the said respondents No. 4 and 5 be entered as kharedar tenants in respect of the land comprised in Khasra No. 133. A 'revision petition preferred by the Mate of Rajasthan before the Board of Revenue was dismissed by the order of the Board of Revenue dated April 22, 1974. The Board of Revenue took the same view as was taken by the Additional Colonisation Commissioner, following the earlier two decisions of the Board referred to above and held that a land holder who held land in his 'khudkasht' could not be said to have 'leased out' the land to himself, and as such the provisions of Section 15-A of the Act could not be made applicable to such land, which was h
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