1. Briefly the case of the petitioners is that Smt. Rukmani Devi, respondent No. 2, was a displaced person from Bahawalpur State in Pakistan, and was allotted 38.70 Standard Acres of land in her own right in lieu of the land left by her in Pakistan. Her husband, Suraj Bhan, was allotted some land in District Hissar, Suraj Bhan died in the year 1955 and Smt. Rukmani Devi, being his widow, inherited his property. After inheritance she became owner of 44.98 Standard Acres of land. She sold an area measuring 28 Bighas and 2 Biswas for a consideration of Rs. 15,000/- to Smt. Saraswati Devi, her daughter, on May 16, 1958. Smt. Saraswati Devi sold that land to the petitioners on January 29, 1960, for Rs. 15,000 by a registered sale deed.

2. Surplus area proceedings were started by the Collector Agrarian, Sirsa, against Smt. Rukmani Devi, but she was declared a small landowner by him vide his order dated November 30, 1961. The said order was reviewed by him vide his order dated March 10, 1964 and it was held that she was a big landowner and had 46.29 Ordinary Acres as surplus area. One Ladhu Ram, tenant of Smt. Rukmani Devi, filed an appeal against the order of the Collector, dated