The Deputy Director of Consolidation cannot rely on extraneous material, without giving an opportunity for rebuttal to the party against whom this additional evidence is filed.

Heard learned Counsel for the parties. In this writ petition the petitioners Grja Shankar and Bateshwar Nath have challenged the order dated 13-11-1995 passed by the Deputy Director of Consolidation, Bhadoi, Camp at Gyanpur in Revision No. 660/652 under Section 48 of the Consolidation of Holdings Act, Rama Shankar and Others. v. Ram Jiyawan and Others. , village Deegh Uperwar, Ta. Kaudh, lehsil Gyanpur, district Bhadoi, whereby he allowed the revision and set aside the order dated 2-1-93 passed

by the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) in Appeal No. 6/1667, Ram Jiavmn v. Gauri Shankar and Others. , and Appeal No. 1883/90-93, Devi Shankar and Others. v. Rama Shankar and Others.

2. The facts leading to this writ petition are that respondent Nos. 2 and 3 Rama Shankar and Daya Shankar, filed objections under Section 9 of the U. P. Consolida tion of Holdings Act in respect of Khata No. 1035, that in the proceedings relating to the said objections (case No. 6374-6382) a compromise dated 19-1-1988 was filed and verified, that the Consolidation Officer accepted the same and passed an order in its terms on 19-1-1988, that at that time Ram Jiyawan, father of the petitioners, was alive, that the filed Appeal No. 6/1667 of 1989 Ram Jiayawan v. Gauri Shankar and Others. on 28-6-89 before the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) against the aforesaid order dated 19-1-1988 and also prayed for condodation of delay claiming that the notice of the said objections of respondent Nos. 2 and 3 were not at all sent and served on him (Ram Jiyawan, father of the petitioners) and that he never put his thumb-impression on the said compromise dated 19-1-88. He claimed that this com promise deed was fraudulent and forged and that some one has impersonated his name and that the alleged compromise dead did not bear his signature or thumb-im pression. He also claimed that the order of the Consolidation Officer was passed without application of mind. It was also claimed that the appeal was filed as soon as Ram Jiyawan came to know of the said fraudulent compromise deed. A copy of the memo of appeal is Annexure-4 in the present writ petition. There was also a prayer for condonation of delay in preferring the appeal on the basis of the aforesaid facts and on affidavit was also filed in support of the same, its copy is Annexure-5 in this writ petition. It was said in it that the order dated 19- 1-80 of the Consolidation Officer was ex pane, that he did Kaleen business and that in connection with the same he lived in Bhadoi, due to which he could not revive any notice or information about the compromise dated 19-1-88 and that he was not given any notice of the same. He further alleged that when he went back to his house on 16-6-1989, he learnt about the said order of compromise and then enquired from the Lekhpal and then preferred the appeal on 29-6-89. Similar appeal No. 1883 was filed by Devi Shankar and Others. They also calmed condonation of delay under Section 5 of the Limitation Act. The Settlement Officer Consolidation allowed the prayer for extending the benefit of Section 5 of the Limitation Act by his order dated 2-1- 1993 (Annexure-6 to this writ petition ). In this order it was said that the affidavit filed was gone into, that explanation given in both the. affidavits of the appellants appeared satisfactory and that it appears proper to grant the benefit of Section 5 of the Limita tion Act in both the appeals as the view of the High Court is that a liberal attitude should be taken on the question of limitation. A copy of the memo of revision preferred against it by the present respondent Nos. 2 and 3 before the Deputy Direc tor of Consolidation is Annexure-7 to this writ petition.

3. Now the impugned of the Deputy Director of Consolidation aforesaid has been challenged by the petitioners firstly on the ground that the Deputy Director of Consolidation had no jurisdiction to entertain and allow the revision as the order granting the benef