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2025 Supreme(Jhk) 2302

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY, DEEPAK ROSHAN, JJ.
Smt. Sumita Bhagat (Kujur), D/o Shri Jagarnath Kujur – Appellant 
Versus
State of Jharkhand through Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand – Respondent 
Civil Review No. 12 of 2025
Decided on : 10-09-2025

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : Mr. Jitendra Singh, Sr. Adv Ms. Amrita Sinha, Adv
For the Respondent: Mr. Indranil Bhaduri, SC IV Mr. Divyam

Review jurisdiction under Order 47 Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure is limited to correcting errors apparent on the face of the record. It cannot be utilized as a mechanism for re-hearing an appeal or substituting a view where no patent illegality exists.

Headnote:(A) Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Order 47 Rule 1 - Review jurisdiction - Nature and scope - Limited to correction of errors apparent on the face of record - Does not authorize re-hearing or substitution of a view - Not synonymous with appellate jurisdiction - Principles culled from precedent emphasize that an error must be self-evident and not require a long process of reasoning - (Paras 14, 15, 20).

(B) Evidence Act, 1872 - Section 114(e) - Presumption of regularity of official acts - Judicial and official acts are presumed to be regularly performed unless contrary evidence is presented - Rebuttable presumption - (Para 18).

(C) Land Acquisition - Notification compliance - Procedural challenges regarding newspaper publications - Even if certain notices were contested, the production of alternative compliant records by the state authorities supports the validity of the proceedings - (Paras 17, 19).

Facts of the case:
The petitioner sought a review of a judgment that dismissed an appeal regarding compensation for additional land allegedly utilized during an acquisition process. The primary grievance was that the petitioner was not afforded an opportunity during the appellate process to verify the veracity of original records relating to notification publications. The petitioner argued that the lack of such verification was an error apparent on the face of the record.

Findings of Court:
The court concluded that it had already satisfied itself by perusing the original records during the prior proceedings. It held that the review petition was an attempt to re-hear the appeal rather than correct a patent error. The court affirmed that official acts are presumed to be regularly performed unless otherwise proven, and that the alleged procedural grievances did not meet the threshold for a review under the governing Civil Procedure guidelines.

Issues: Whether the judgment warrants review on the grounds of procedural unfairness in verifying original documents, and whether the finding regarding land acquisition notifications suffers from errors apparent on the face of the record.

Ratio Decidendi: Review jurisdiction is confined to correcting self-evident errors that do not require detailed re-arguing or re-hearing. As the court had previously satisfied itself regarding the document veracity and found the legal arguments insufficient to invalidate the acquisition process, no ground for review existed. The court acts as a functus officio once a decision is rendered after due application of mind.

Result: Review petition dismissed.

Table of Content
1. condonation of delay granted based on sufficiency of reasons and lack of objection. (Para 1)
2. historical context of land acquisition dispute and subsequent litigation progression before courts. (Para 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6)
3. arguments concerning notification requirements and the procedural scope for seeking review of court orders. (Para 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11)
4. review jurisdiction is limited strictly to errors apparent on the face of the record. (Para 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16)
5. doctrine of functus officio; review cannot be used as a vehicle for rehearing a case. (Para 17 , 18 , 19 , 20)
6. dismissal of review petition for lack of merit and failure to demonstrate error. (Para 21)

JUDGMENT :

1. The interlocutory application has been filed by the Petitioner for condonation of delay of 42 (forty-two) days. Neither any reply has been filed by the Respondents, nor any serious objection has been raised at the time of arguments. Considering the period of delay and the reasons mentioned, the interlocutory application is allowed and the delay is condoned.

Civil Review 12 of 2025.

2. The instant petition has been filed seeking review of the order passed in LPA No. 485 of 2018 dated 31.08.2024, wherein the appeal filed against the order dated 21.06.2018 passed in WP(C) 3653 of 2015 was dismissed.

Background of the Case.

3. The Petitioner claims to be the rightful owner of land appertaining to Khata No. 176, Plot No. 121 admeasuring an area of 1.04 acres and the land appertaining to Khata No. 178, Plot No. 32 admeasuring an area of 1.22 acres; both plots in the village of Sarwal, Thana No. 334, Police Station Namkum, District-Ranchi. The same was purchased by the Petitioner vide 2 (two) sale deeds dated 27.10.2005 and 8.5.2006 and thereafter the same was also mutated in her name.

4. The Petitioner’s case is that though 0.31 acres of land from Khata No. 176, Plot No. 121 and 0.23 acres of land from Khata No. 178, Plot No. 32 was acquired for which compensation was also paid; however, the Respondent- State illegally encroached upon an additional, 0.31 acres of land from Khata No. 176, Plot No. 121 and 0.50 acres of land from Khata No. 178, Plot No. 32. It is pleaded that after several representations, the revenue officers registered a ‘Measurement Case No. 13 of 2010-11’, wherein it was confirmed that construction was going on 0.62 acres in Khata No. 176, Plot No. 121 and 0.73 acres in Khata No. 178, Plot No. 32.

5. The Petitioner’s submission is that once it was established that construction was going on extra portion of land which was acquired in Measurement Case No. 13 of 2010-11, the Petitioner filed a writ petition being WP(C) 3653 of 2015, claiming compensation for the extra land being utilized by the Respondent. The Respondent-State, contested the writ petition by stating that the ‘additional land’ was further acquired in a Land Acquisition case being Land Acquisition Case No. 86/2010-11 and despite notice, the compensation amount was not received by the Petitioner. The writ petition was accordingly dismissed vide order dated 21.6.2018, giving liberty to the Petitioner to approach the competent officer and also prefer a statutory appeal, if the situation so requires.

6. This order was assailed by filing a Letters Patent Appeal which was registered as LPA No. 485 of 2018. The primary contention of the Petitioner was that the Ld. Single Judge, has failed to consider that without a notification, no proceeding under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, can be said to be valid in the eye of law. Considering the submission of the Petitioner (Appellant therein), this Court considered it fit to summon the entire records of the land acquisition proceeding vide order dated 1.5.2023.

7. This Court after giving due consideration to the facts of the case and the applicable law dismissed the appeal vide order dated 31.08.2024. This Court, in Para-11 of its judgement held that notification under Section 4 of the Act, 1894 was published by the Responden

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