ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
P. N. Baksh, J.
SMT. SUMARIA
VERSUS
STATE
Criminal Revn. No. 613 of 1971 (Against order of J. P. Agarwal, 1st Temporary S.J., Allahabad, D/- 29-1-1971),
Decided On : May 18, 1973
ROADSIDE LAND CONTROL ACT - SECTION 13 - INTERPRETATION - SCOPE OF JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES - EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF COLLECTOR TO ORDER REMOVAL OF ENCROACHMENT - JUDICIAL REMEDY LIMITED TO PUNISHMENT.
Fact of the Case:
The accused, Smt. Sumaria, was convicted under Section 13(1) of the Roadside Land Control Act for constructing a pakka house without the sanction of the District Magistrate on a controlled area. The Sub-divisional Magistrate also directed her to remove the construction within three months.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the Sub-divisional Magistrate had no jurisdiction to order the removal of the encroachment. The Court observed that Section 13(1) of the Act provides for judicial remedy by way of punishment, while Section 13(2) provides for administrative remedy by way of an order from the Collector for removal of the encroachment.
Issues: Whether the Sub-divisional Magistrate had the jurisdiction to order the removal of the encroachment.
Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the two remedies provided under Section 13(1) and 13(2) are exclusive of each other. In the case of a breach of the provisions of the Act, the judicial remedy of punishment is available under Section 13(1), while the administrative remedy of ordering the removal of the encroachment is available under Section 13(2).
Final Decision: The High Court partly allowed the revision application and set aside the order of the courts below directing the removal of the encroachment. The order with regard to the imposition of fine was maintained.
This application in revision arises out of the conviction of the accused-applicant for an offence under Section 13(1) of the Roadside Land Control Act. The Sub-divisional Magistrate, Phulpur by his order dated 9-6-1970 convicted Smt. Sumaria under the aforesaid Act and sentenced her to pay a fine of Rs. 150/- or in default to undergo two months R.I. A further direction was given that she shall remove construction illegally made by her within three months from the date of the order.
2. Aggrieved thereby Smt. Sumaria filed an appeal before the I Temporary Sessions Judge, Allahabad. The appeal was dismissed on 29-1-1971. Hence this revision.
3. It appears that a complaint was made by the Assistant Engineer P.W.D. containing allegation that Smt. Sumaria had built a pakka house without the sanction of District Magistrate on the Allahabad Gorakhpur road within the limits of village Sahson between mile 12, furlong 7, about 31 feet from the centre of the road towards the right side, and thereby committed a breach of the provisions of the Roadside Land Control Act. It was prayed that the accused be tried under Section 13 of the U.P. Roadside Land Control Act and punished accordingly.
4. Both the courts below after considering the entire evidence on the record came to the conclusion that Smt. Sumaria had made these unauthorised constructions on controlled area as declared by Notification No. 1041 LC/XXIII P.W.D. - 3 LC/59 dated 24-3-1960.
5. It was contended that the said notification has not been published in the official gazette and two non-English papers as requited under Section 3(2) of the Act. It appears that in this court an opportunity was given to the State to reply to this objection. An affidavit has been filed along with the annexure which clearly proves compliance of Section 3(2) of the said Act. As such I do not find any force in this contention of learned counsel for the applicant that the impugned order should fail on this ground.
6. Learned counsel also raised another point of law before this court. He contends that the direction given by the Sub-divisional Magistrate to the effect that the constructions made illegally shall be removed within three weeks from the date of the order is not warranted in law. Learned counsel has referred me to Section 13 of the U.P. Roadside Land Control Act which runs thus :-
13. Offences and penalties :- (1) Any person who -
(a) erects or re-erects any building or makes or extends any excavation or lays our any means of access to a road in contravention of the provisions imposed by an order under Section 7, or
(b) uses any lands in contravention of the provisions of sub-section 12, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees and, in case of a continuing contravention, with a further fine which may extend to fifty rupees for every day after the date of the first conviction during which he proved to have persisted in the contravention.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1) the Collector may order any person who has committed a breach of the provisions of the said sub-section to restore to its original state or to bring into conformity with the conditions which have been violated, as the case may be, any building or land in respect of which a contravention such as is described in the said sub-section has been committed and if such person fails to do so within three months of the order, may himself take such measures as may appear to him to be necessary to give effect to the order, and the cost of such measures shall be recoverable from such persons as arrears of land revenue.
7. A perusal of Section 13 clearly indicates that there are two remedies provided by law. One such remedy is a judicial remedy to which Section 13(1)(a)(b) is applicable. The present complaint had been filed by the Assistant Engineer P.W.D. for taking action under Section 13(1) and for punishing accused under Section 13 of the said Act. A prayer has been made that he b
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.