2009 Supreme(J&K) 665
J&K SPECIAL TRIBUNAL AT JAMMU
A.K. Shan, J.
Haji Alam Din -Appellant
Versus
Munshi Khan & Ors. -Resopndent
STJ-314-2003 [Revision petition under Section 21(2) of the J&K Special Tribunal Act,1986 against the order dated 2.12.2002 passed by the Learned Divisional Commissioner Jammu.]
Decided On : 23-11-2009
Nemo.
Jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain revision petitions under the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986 and the limitations on filing revisions against orders passed by the Divisional Commissioner.
Headnote:
Jurisdiction - Land Dispute - The court dismissed the revision petition on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the petition under the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986. The petitioner had filed the petition under Section 21(2) of the Special Tribunal Act, which was misconceived as there is no such section in the Act. The court held that even if it was an error and the petition was intended under the Agrarian Reforms Act, no revision could be entertained by the Tribunal against the order passed by the Divisional Commissioner.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner filed a revision petition under Section 21(2) of the Special Tribunal Act 1986 regarding a land dispute. The land was in legal possession of certain persons, but a mutation was attested in favor of the respondents, leading to a series of appeals and the filing of the revision petition.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the revision petition was not maintainable due to lack of jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the petition under the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986. The petition was filed under a misconceived section, and even if it was intended under the Agrarian Reforms Act, no revision could be entertained by the Tribunal against the order passed by the Divisional Commissioner.
Issues: The main issue was the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the revision petition under the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986 and the misconceived filing of the petition under Section 21(2) of the Act.
Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the lack of jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the revision petition under the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986 and the misconceived filing of the petition under Section 21(2) of the Act. The court also emphasized that even if the petition was intended under the Agrarian Reforms Act, no revision could be entertained by the Tribunal against the order passed by the Divisional Commissioner.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed as not maintainable due to lack of jurisdiction of the Tribunal and was directed to be consigned to record.
2. The facts of the case culminating in filing of the revision petition are as under:-
There is a piece of land measuring 41 kanals 4 marlas under Khasra number 1382 in village Badhoon Tehsil and District Rajouri. It was in legal possession of certain persons whose names are recorded in Khasra Girdawari from Kharif 1972 onwards which is , enclosed as Annexure-B with the revision petition.
3. The father of the petitioner Kayan Din was one of the occupant who died somewhere in 1973 where upon the land came to be occupied by the petitioner and his brother Mohd Yousuf, in respect of which the entry came to be made in Rabi 1973.
4. On 20.7.1996 the then Tehsildar Rajouri attested Sahat kasht mutation No:728 and recorded the name of Ali Akbar, father of the respondents as the person in possession of land w.e.f 1996 onwards. This mutation was challenged by the petitioner before the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri who set aside the same. There-after the father of the respondent preferred second appeal before the Divisional Commissioner Jammu who set aside the order of Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and remanded the case to Tehsildar Rajouri for fresh enquiry.
5. Aggrieved by the order of Divisional Commissioner the petitioner has preferred this revision petition for setting aside the same. As per title of the revision petition, the petition has been filed under Section 21(2) of the Special Tribunal Act 1986.
6. Apparently mutation was attested by Tehsildar under the Land Revenue Act and 1st appeal was properly filed before the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and then 2nd appeal before Divisional Commissioner Jammu. Under Section 11 of the Land Revenue Act the next appeal was to be filed before Financial Commissioner, subject to proviso to the said Section. Similarly the petitioner could have filed revision under Section 15 of the Land Revenue Act before the Financial Commissioner. The Land Revenue Act has not provided any revision against the order of any Revenue Officer before this Tribunal. It is only under Section 21(2) of the Agrarian Reforms Act that this Tribunal can entertain revision against the order of Commissioner Agrarian Reforms or order of Tehsildar or Assistant Commissioner under Agrarian Reforms Act, if the same is in respect of Evacuee or State land. The present revision petition is not against the order passed by any of the said Revenue Officer. The petitioner has filed the petition under Section 21(2) of the J&K Special Tribunal Act 1986. This concept is misconceived because there is no such Section in the J&K Tribunal Act.
7. Even presuming that there has been an error while typing the petition and writing Special Tribunal Act instead of Agrarian Reforms Act, still in the facts and circumstances of the case, no revision can be entertained by this Tribunal against the order passed by Divisional Commissioner.
8. Accordingly this revision petition is dismissed as not maintainable and is directed to be consigned to record.