2013 Supreme(Raj) 695
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
Mohammad Rafiq, J.
Rambharosi Lal and others - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan through Tehsildar, Bharatpur and Others - Respondent
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 2334 of 1995 With Stay Application No. 2003 of 1995.
Decided On : 24-01-2013
Important Points
An allotment of khatedari rights obtained by fraud or misrepresentation is void and can be canceled even after a lapse of time.
Subject
Land Revenue - ALLOTMENT OF LAND
Act Referred
RAJASTHAN TENANCY ACT : S.15
Headnote
LAND REVENUE ACT, 1956 - SECTION 9, 82 - RAJASTHAN LAND REVENUE (ALLOTMENT OF LAND FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES) RULES, 1957 - RULE 2(III) - CANCELLATION OF KHATEDARI RIGHTS - TEMPORARY ALLOTMENT - GOVERNMENT SERVANT - LANDLESS PERSON - FRAUD - MISREPRESENTATION - DELAY IN MAKING REFERENCE - IMMATERIAL.
Fact of the Case:
Petitioners challenged the order of the Board of Revenue accepting a reference made by the District Collector under Section 9 read with Section 82 of the Land Revenue Act, 1956, setting aside the khatedari rights conferred upon petitioner Bhoori Singh in the disputed land.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the allotment of land to the petitioner was temporary for one year and he could not have acquired khatedari rights on such land. The petitioner was not a landless person as he was a Government servant. The allotment was obtained by misrepresentation and fraud, and the delay in making the reference was immaterial.
Issues: 1. Whether the petitioner was eligible for allotment of khatedari rights on the disputed land. 2. Whether the allotment of land to the petitioner was temporary or permanent. 3. Whether the petitioner was a landless person as defined under Rule 2(iii) of the Rajasthan Land Revenue (Allotment of Land for Agricultural Purposes) Rules, 1957. 4. Whether the allotment of land to the petitioner was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation. 5. Whether the delay in making the reference to the Board of Revenue was material.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the petitioner was not eligible for allotment of khatedari rights on the disputed land as the allotment was temporary for one year and he was not a landless person. 2. The court held that the allotment of land to the petitioner was temporary as it was made for a period of one year only. 3. The court held that the petitioner was not a landless person as he was a Government servant. 4. The court held that the allotment of land to the petitioner was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation as he bypassed the procedure under the Rules of 1957. 5. The court held that the delay in making the reference to the Board of Revenue was immaterial as the allotment was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the writ petition and upheld the order of the Board of Revenue accepting the reference made by the District Collector.
For the Petitioners:Bhanu Pareek, Advocate.
For the Respondents:S.S. Ali and Manoj Bhardwaj, Advocates.
JUDGMENT
1. - Petitioners have filed this writ petition against order/judgment of the Board of Revenue for Rajasthan, Ajmer, dated 10.01.1995 by which a reference made to it by the District Collector, Bharatpur, has been accepted. The District Collector, Bharatpur, vide order dated 24.05.1994, under Section 9 read with Section 82 of the Land Revenue Act, 1956, made aforesaid reference to learned Board of Revenue at the instance of Tehsildar, Bharatpur, as also the general public of Anaha Gate, Bharatpur, inter-alia on the premise that khatedari rights conferred upon petitioner Bhoori Singh in the land of Khasra No.335 measuring one bigha and eight biswa situated at Bharatpur, by setting aside mutation attested in favour of other petitioners Rambharosi Lal and others on the basis of sale-deed executed in their favour by aforesaid Bhoori Singh.
2. Contention of learned counsel for petitioner is that the petitioners were allotted the land in dispute in August, 1958 and mutation was attested in their favour on 28.04.1962. One Charanlal S/o Inder Narain filed a false suit against petitioner and secured a decree of specific performance and, in compliance whereof, mutation was attested in favour of Charanlal. Petitioner no.1 thereupon transferred the land to petitioners no.2 and 7, on the basis of which another mutation dated 09.03.1971 was attested in their favour. The suit filed by Charanlal was dismissed and thereafter his appeal was dismissed by this court and also by the Supreme Court. It was thereafter that an application under Rule 14(4) of the Rajasthan Land Revenue (Allotment of Land for Agricultural Purposes) Rules, 1957 (for short, 'the Rules of 1957') was filed by the State Government before the District Collector seeking a reference to be made to the Board of Revenue. Initially reference was declined by the District Collector by order dated 13.10.1992 but subsequently the District Collector by subsequent order dated 24.05.1994 made the reference. The Board of Revenue accepted the reference mechanically.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the allotment of the disputed land was made in favour of the petitioner on his application dated 19.08.1958 on proposal of one Desh Raj, member of the allotment committee, which the Tehsildar has accepted. Since two members could form of the Advisory Committee and both of them were member of the Advisory Committee therefore formation was complete. Petitioner continuously remained in possession of the disputed land since then and was recorded khatedar tenant as per Section 19 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act. Name of the petitioner was recorded in jamabandi of Samvat Years 2017-2021, 2021-2024 and 2026-2029. The application for making reference was made about 30 years thereafter alleging that the petitioner Bhoori Singh was not eligible for allotment, being the Government servant as post master in the Central Government. Learned Board of Revenue has mechanically allowed the reference. It is contended that petitioner Bhoori Singh has been continuously in possession of the land since 2015 and has been making payment of the land revenue. He acquired khatedari rights by virtue of Section 15 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, which has been completely ignored by learned court below. It is argued that initially when the District Collector has declined to make interference, another application for making reference could not have been entertained and the District Collector was bound by his earlier order. The reference was made 34 years after the date of allotment. Therefore, reference could not have been accepted at the belated stage.
4. Learned counsel for the respondents opposed the writ petition and submitted that learned Board of Revenue was perfectly justified in allowing the reference. Allotment of land was made to the petitioner temporarily for one year for cultivation and on the basis of which he fraudulently secured the khatedari right whereas no such khatedari rights could be con