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2017 Supreme(Ori) 514
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK
A.K. RATH, J.
Gourahari Nayak – Appellant
Versus
State of Orissa and others – Respondents
R.S.A.No.217 of 2009
Decided On : 17-05-2017
For the Appellant :Mr. N.P.Parija, Advocate
Insufficiency of evidence to establish ownership based on historical lease and sale transactions, validity of rent receipts and tenancy ledger, and State ownership after estate abolition
Headnote:
Land Dispute - Property Rights - C.S. Khata No.109, C.S. Plot no.533, Orissa Estates Abolition Act - 1945 lease, subsequent sale transactions, ownership and possession - Rent receipts, tenancy ledger, R.O.R. - Disputed identification of suit land - Dismissal of suit
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiffs claimed ownership of land based on a 1945 lease and subsequent sale transactions, but the court found the evidence insufficient. Defendants asserted State ownership after abolition of estate. Trial court dismissed the suit, and the appeal was also dismissed for lack of substantial legal question.
Finding of the Court:
The court found the evidence of lease and subsequent sale transactions to be insufficient to establish plaintiffs' ownership. It also held that the State had valid ownership after the abolition of the estate. The appeal was dismissed for lack of substantial legal question.
Issues: Disputed ownership based on historical lease and sale transactions, validity of rent receipts and tenancy ledger, identification of suit land, State ownership after estate abolition
Ratio Decidendi: Insufficient evidence of lease and sale transactions, lack of valid rent receipts and tenancy ledger, disputed identification of suit land, valid State ownership after estate abolition
Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed for lack of substantial legal question, upholding the trial court's dismissal of the suit.
JUDGMENT :
Dr. A.K. RATH, J.
1. Plaintiff no.2 is the appellant against an affirming judgment.
2. Appellant along with respondent nos.4 & 5 as plaintiffs instituted Title Suit No.78 of 1995 in the court of the learned Civil Judge (Senior Division), Jagatsinghpur for declaration of right, title and interest over the suit land impleading respondents 1, 2 and 3 as defendants. The case of plaintiffs is that C.S. Khata No.109 appertaining to C.S. Plot no.533 measuring an area Ac.192.00 of mouza Padmapur originally recorded in the name of Gokula Chandra Laha, Ex. Proprietor, in the C.S. record of right published in the year 1931. The same was recorded as ‘Anabadi’ land. The kissam was Jhati Jungle. In the year 1945 Gokula Chandra Laha leased out Ac.31.00 of land to one Jogamaya Maity on fixation of annual fair rent for agricultural purposes and delivered possession. Thereafter Jogamaya Maity transferred the same with permission of Ex- Landlord in favour of Jagannath Das, Balaram Das, sons of Sagar Charan Das, Paban Chandra Mandal, Rakhal Chandra Mandal, Srimanta Mandal, sons of Kali Charan Mandal by means of a registered sale deed dated 18.6.1952 and delivered possession. After abolition of estate, the rent roll was submitted before the State in the name of Jagannath Das, Balaram Das, Paban Chandra Mandal, Rakhal Chandra Mandal and Srimanta Mandal. The tenancy ledger was prepared in their names. They were accepted as tenants by the State. Rent paid by them was accepted by the State. On 22.2.1954 Rakhal Mandal, Paban Mandal and Srimanth Mandal sold Ac.5.00 of land out of Ac.31.00 of land to one Gopinath Mandal by means of a registered sale deed and delivered possession to him. While the matter stood thus, on 4.2.1966 Gopinath Mandal sold Ac.5.00 of land to one Panchanan Pradhan by means of a registered sale deed and delivered possession to him. On 16.2.1979 Panchanan Pradhan sold the said land to the plaintiffs by means of a registered sale deed for a valid consideration and delivered possession. The plaintiffs are in peaceful and continuous possession of the land to the knowledge of all including the defendants. The plaintiffs paid the rent to the Government. While the matter stood thus, Jagannath Das and Balaram Das sold Ac.12.40 dec. of land out of Ac.31.00 to one Barendra Manna by means of a registered sale deed and delivered possession. Thereafter Barendra Manna sold Ac.4.00 of land out of Ac.12.40 dec. to Abhimanyu Maity and Mahendra Maity on 16.8.1966 by means of a registered sale deed and delivered possession. Subsequently Abhimanyu Maity and Mahendra Maity sold Ac.4.00 of land to the plaintiffs on 7.3.1979 by means of a registered sale deed and delivered possession. Again Barendra Manna sold the rest Ac.8.40 dec. of land to the plaintiffs on 16.2.1979 by means of two registered sale deeds and delivered possession. Therefore the plaintiffs became the exclusive owner in possession of total Ac.17.40 dec. of land out of Ac.31.00 of land towards its eastern side and paying the rent to the Government. In the Hal Settlement they could not take proper steps for which the suit land had been wrongly recorded in favour of the defendants. The record of right of the Hal Settlement is wrong and the same does not confer any title in favour of the defendants. It is further pleaded that the plaintiffs covered the suit land into a ‘Gheri’ and started prawn culture over the said portion. The other portion is being cultivated by them. Taking advantage of wrong recording in the Hal R.O.R., the defendants tried to dispossess the plaintiffs from the suit land. With this factual scenario, the suit had been filed.
3. Pursuant to issuance of summons, defendants 1 and 2 entered appearance and filed a written statement denying the assertions made in the plaint. The case of the defendants is that the suit land was not leased out to Jogamaya Maity. The sale deed executed by Jogamaya Maity is illegal. The subsequent sale deeds executed by the vendors of the p
