IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
S. P. Srivastava, J.
RAGHUNATH - Appellant
Versus
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CONSOLIDATION, JAUNPUR - Respondents
C. M. W. P. 3555 Of 1983
Decided On : 11/10/1997
U. P. CONSOLIDATION OF HOLDINGS ACT - SECTION 9, 12, 48 - REVISION - DELAY IN FILING - CONDONATION - TENURIAL RIGHTS - UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANT - REGULARISATION - CONDITIONS - INTERPRETATION.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, claiming to be the tenure-holder of the land in dispute, filed an objection under Section 9 of the U. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, asserting his entitlement to the benefits under Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act. The Consolidation Officer rejected the objection, holding that the land vested in the Gaon Sabha and the petitioner was not in possession on the relevant date. The Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation, allowed the petitioner's appeal, directing that he be recorded as sirdar under Section 122b (4f). The Gaon Sabha filed a revision challenging the appellate order, which was allowed by the Deputy Director of Consolidation, restoring the order of the Consolidation Officer.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the petitioner's claim under Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act could not be entertained as it was confined to proceedings under Section 122b of the Act and did not create a title in the petitioner. The court also held that the order passed by the Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation, was manifestly illegal and could not be revived by quashing the impugned order of the Deputy Director of Consolidation.
Issues: 1. Whether the petitioner was entitled to be recorded as a tenure-holder under Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act? 2. Whether the revision filed by the Gaon Sabha was maintainable despite the delay in filing? 3. Whether the court could exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to quash the impugned order and revive the manifestly illegal order passed by the Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the provisions of Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act did not confer any tenurial right in favor of the petitioner as the deeming clause contained therein was confined to proceedings under Section 122b of the Act and did not create a title in the petitioner. 2. The court held that the revision filed by the Gaon Sabha was maintainable as the delay in filing was condoned by the Deputy Director of Consolidation and the Gaon Sabha had not been given any notice of the appeal or an opportunity to be heard before the appellate order was passed. 3. The court held that it could not exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to quash the impugned order and revive the manifestly illegal order passed by the Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation, as it would amount to putting a premium on illegality.
Final Decision: The writ petition was dismissed with no order as to costs.
( 1 ) FEELING aggrieved by the order passed by the Deputy Director of Consolidation allowing a revision filed under Section 48 of the U. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, whereunder while setting aside the order passed by the Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation in appeal, the order of the Consolidation Officer rejecting the objection of the petitioner preferred by him under Section 9 of the U. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act claiming to be the tenure-holder of the land in dispute has been restored, he has now approached this Court seeking redress praying for the quashing of the order passed by the revising authority.
( 2 ) I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned standing counsel representing the respondents and have carefully perused the record.
( 3 ) THE facts in brief, shorn of details and necessary for the disposal of this case, lie in a narrow compass. In this case, the publication of the notice contemplated under Section 9 of the U. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act was made on 31. 7. 1967. The petitioner filed an objection on 31. 8. 1976 claiming sirdari rights in the land in dispute on the assertions that he was entitled to the benefits contemplated under Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land reforms Act and the requisite conditions contemplated therein having been satisfied, the revenue entry in respect of the land in dispute wherein the said land had been shown as vesting in the gaon Sabha be corrected and instead, it be recorded as his bhumidhari holding. It may be noticed that in the village record, the land in dispute at the time when the objection had been filed was recorded as "bachat" Land vesting in the Gaon Sabha.
( 4 ) THE Consolidation Officer came to the conclusion that the publication under Section 9 of the u. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act was made on 31. 7. 1967 and the Gaon Sabha was continuing to be in possession since the year 1970 Fasali, The provisions contained in Section 122b (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act came into effect on 30. 6. 1975. In the aforesaid view of the matter, the Consolidation Officer holding that on the relevant date, the petitioner was not in possession over the. land in dispute rejected the objection. The petitioner had claimed that in the proceedings under Section 122b of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and land Reforms Act initiated against him by the Gaon Sabha on 5. 8. 1975, his possession over the land in dispute had been shown to be of a period of six years. The Assistant Collector while disposing of the aforesaid proceedings had dropped the proceedings on the ground that the land in dispute stood recorded as "bachat land" during the consolidation proceedings and as such the question in regard to the accrual of the sirdari rights put forward by the objectors on the strength of the provisions contained in Section 122b (4f) of the Act could be gone into before the competent authorities under the U. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act as the proceedings under the said Act were still continuing.
( 5 ) THE petitioner thereafter challenged the order of the Consolidation Officer by means of an appeal which was allowed by the Assistant Settlement Officer Consolidation vide his order dated 19. 6. 1978. The Assistant Settlement Officer, Consolidation held that the claim put forward by the petitioner should have been entertained under Section 12 of the U. P. Consolidation of holdings Act as he was entitled to be recorded as tenure holder of the land in dispute on account of the benefit secured in his favour under the provisions contained in Section 1226 (4f) of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act. The direction given by the appellate authority was that Raghunath, the petitioner be recorded as sirdar under Section 122b (4f) and the land revenue be fixed accordingly.
( 6 ) THE appeal referred to hereinabove had been allowed on 19. 6. 1978. A belated revision cha
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