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2007 Supreme(All) 1112

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
Prafulla C.Pant
LAL CHAND
Versus
JARNAIL SINGH
Decided On : 20 April 2007
Second Appeal No. 875 of 2001

Advocates:
Alok Mehra, Sharad Sharma,

The central legal point established is that the civil court can ignore a forged entry in the revenue record, rebutting the presumption provided in favor of the correctness of the entry under Section 44 of U. P Land Revenue Act, 1901.

Headnote:

U. P Land Revenue Act - Possession - Section 44 of U. P Land Revenue Act, 1901 - The court discussed the presumption as to the correctness of the entries of the Revenue Record under Section 44 and concluded that the civil court can ignore a forged entry, thereby rebutting the presumption provided in favor of the correctness of the entry.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs filed a suit for permanent injunction against the defendant, claiming possession over certain land. The defendant contested the suit, denying the plaintiffs' possession and alleging that the entry as Adivasi in favor of the plaintiffs was forged.

Finding of the Court:

The trial court found the entry in the revenue record to be forged and dismissed the suit. The appellate court also dismissed the appeal. The High Court, considering the substantial question of law, upheld the dismissal of the suit, stating that the civil court can ignore a forged entry, rebutting the presumption provided in favor of the correctness of the entry under Section 44 of U. P Land Revenue Act, 1901.

Issues: The issues included the possession of the plaintiffs, their legal rights as Adivasi, entitlement to relief, maintainability of the suit, and the effect of the forged entry in the revenue record.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the civil court can ignore a forged entry in the revenue record, rebutting the presumption provided in favor of the correctness of the entry under Section 44 of U. P Land Revenue Act, 1901, and that the relief of injunction can be refused to a person who has not come with clean hands.

Final Decision: The second appeal was dismissed, upholding the dismissal of the suit for permanent injunction.

This appeal, preferred under Section 100 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, is directed against the judgment and de cree dated 22-02-1977, passed by Sec ond Additional District Judge, Nainital in Civil Appeal No. 103 of 1973, aris ing out of original suit no. 59 of 1972.

2. Heard learned counsel for the parues.

3. The brief facts of the case are that the plaintiffs / appellants instituted a suit for permanent injunction, restrain ing the defendant from interfering in the possession of the plaintiffs/ appellants over the land of Plots No. 24/2a, 24/2b, 24/3ab, 24/4, 25/1, 25/2, 26/1, 26/2, 27/1, 27/2, 28ab, 29/1, 29/2, 30, 31, 32/1, 32/2ab, 32/3, 33/1, 33/2, 33/3ab, 34, 35/1, 35/2, 35/ 3a, 35/3b, 36ab, & 37/2b, measuring 146 Bigha 12 Biswa in village Narpatpur (Bagatpur), Pargana Bhabar Kota, Tehsil Kaladhunti, District Nainital. The plain tiffs/appellants case is that, they were in continuous cultivatory possession of the aforesaid plots for eight years before institution of suit and it is pleaded by them that they have been recorded as Adivasi over the land after enforcement of U. P Zaminadari Abolition & Land Reforms Act, 1950. It is alleged by the plaintiffs that the defendant trying to take forcible possession of the aforesaid land, which gave cause of action to the plaintiffs to institute this suit for injunc tion.

4. The defendant/respondent Jamail Singh contested the suit by filing a writ ten statement whereby the contents of the plaint were denied. It is pleaded by the defendant that entry as Adivasi in favour of plaintiffs was made wrongly in the fasli year of 1374 (calendar year 1967), in favour of the plaintiffs. Said entry was a forged one. It is further pleaded that in fact defendant is in cultivatory possession of the land in suit. It is alleged by the defendant that plain tiffs have no concern over the land in question.

5. Learned trial court framed fol lowing issues on the basis of the plead ings of the parties :

(i) whether the plaintiffs are in pos session over the land in suit ?

(ii) Whether the plaintiffs have le gally acquired rights of Adivasi over the land in suit?

(iii) To what relief, if any, the plain tiffs are entitled ?

(iv) Whether the suit is not maintain able ?

(v) Whether the entries in the name of the plaintiffs in Khasra for the-year 1374 fasli was forged and not in accordance with law ? If so, its effect ?

The trial court after recording the evidence and hearing the parties, found that the entry in the Khasra for the year 1374 fasli was a forged one. It did not find cultivatory possession of the plain tiffs over the land in suit and the suit was dismissed with costs vide judgment and decree dated 31-8-1973. Against the said judgment and decree, the plaintiffs preferred an appeal (Civil Appeal No. 103 of 1973) before the lower appellate court. After hearing the parties, the same was also dismissed, vide judgment and order dated 22-2-1977. Hence, this second appeal was filed before Allahabad High Court in the year 1977. The appeal was admitted by the said High Court vide its order dated 26-9-1977. The appeal is transferred to this Court under Section 35 of U. P Reor ganization Act, 2000, for its disposal. No substantial question of law appears to have been framed by the Allahabad High Court at the time of admission. However, the following substantial ques tion of law arises for consideration by this Court in this second appeal on which the parties made their submissions before this Court-

Whether the entries made in the rev enue record, which had attained final ity under Section 44 of U. P Land Rev enue Act, 1901, can be ignored by the Civil Court in a suit for injunction, while examining the fact relating to possession of a party to the suit.

6. Answer to substantial question of Law : Section 44 of U. P Land Revenue Act, 1901 reads as under :

"44. Presumption as to entries In the annual register,- All entries in the annual register shall, until con trary is proved be presumed to be true. "

The aforesaid







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