PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT AT CHANDIGARH
Sureshwar Thakur and Vikas Suri, JJ.
Gram Panchayat Garhi Padla – Appellant
Versus
Commissioner Ambala Division, Ambala And Another – Respondent
CWP No. 5222 of 1999 (O&M)
Decided on : 11-03-2025
JUDGMENT :
Sureshwar Thakur, J.
Through the instant writ petition, the petitioner seeks the quashing of the order dated 17.11.1998 (Annexure P-2) passed by respondent No. 1, wherebys the revision petition filed by the respondent No.
2 against the order dated 15.11.1996, passed by the Assistant Collector concerned, was allowed and the order supra became set aside.
Brief facts of the case
2. It is averred in the instant petition, that since respondent No. 2 was in illegal and unauthorized occupation of the land belonging to the Gram Panchayat concerned, therefore, the Gram Panchayat concerned, filed a petition under Section 7(2) of the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 (for short the Act of 1961), thus seeking the eviction of respondent No.2 from the petition land. After due service of notice upon respondent No. 2, and, after hearing his objections, respondent No. 2 was ordered to be evicted from the petition land on 9.4.1985. It is further averred in the instant petition, that owing to some unavoidable circumstances and collusion of respondent No. 2 with the Gram Panchayat concerned, the apposite execution petition was filed in the year 1995. Moreover since, the possession of the petition land rather had already been taken by the Gram Panchayat concerned, therebys the Executing Court, did not proceed to issue warrants of possession vis-a-vis the disputed lands, rather through an order becoming rendered on 15.11.1996, it ordered that the file be consigned to the record room.
3. Being aggrieved from the order (supra), respondent No. 2 preferred a revision petition under Section 13 of the Act of 1961. Vide the impugned order dated 17.11.1998 (Annexure P-2), the said revision petition was allowed and the order dated 15.11.1996, passed by the Assistant Collector concerned, thus was set aside. The operative part of the said order becomes extracted hereinafter.
"I have gone through Section of Village Common Land Act from which it is clear that for execution purposes it is same as in Punjab Tenancy Act PLJ 1997(2) (F.C.Pb) page 60, speaks about application of Article 137 of Limitation Act for execution in Punjab Tenancy Act. According to which limitation is 3 years for execution. In this case Article 64 does not applies and in such situation execution petition of the applicant is allowed and order passed by lower court is set aside. Order pronounced."
4. Moreover, the provisions, as carried in Article 136 of the Limitation Act also become extracted hereinafter.
136. For the execution Twelve years. of any decree (other than a decree granting a mandatory injunction) or order of any civil court.
When the decree or order becomes enforceable or where the decree or any subsequent order directs any payment of money or the delivery of any property to be made at a certain date or at recurring periods, when default in making the payment or delivery in respect of which execution is sought, takes place:
Provided that an application for the enforcement or execution of a decree granting a perpetual injunction shall not be subject to any period of limitation.
5. Ex facie, the supra extracted provision makes a prescription thereins, that the ordained period of limitation rather for enforcing or executing a order/decree of possession, thus is 12 years. The said ordained period of 12 years is to be computed from the date when the appositely passed decree/order becomes enforceable. The enforceability of the appositely passed decree or order would take place when the such passed decree or order acquires a binding and conclusive effect.
6. The conundrum before this Court is whether the supra provisions are applicable to an order passed by the Assistant Collector concerned, through his exercising jurisdiction under Section 7 of the Act of 1961.
Submissions on behalf of the learned counsel for the petitioner
7. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits-
(i) That while passing the impugned order, the learned Commissioner concerned, has wrongly interpret
The court emphasized the necessity of compliance with statutory provisions and natural justice principles in eviction proceedings, mandating that execution petitions be filed to allow for objections ....
Revisional jurisdiction can only be exercised in eviction matters when a question of title is raised, adhering to statutory provisions.
Adverse possession requires proof of open, continuous, and hostile possession with the necessary animus, which the petitioner failed to establish.
Under the relevant statute, a revenue authority is not required to stay summary eviction proceedings upon a mere assertion of title. A stay is only mandatory if the claimant provides prima facie docu....
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