2013 Supreme(All) 385
[2013(2) ADJ 518]
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : S.U. KHAN, J.
STATE OF U.P. ....Petitioner
Versus
HARI PRAKASH SHUKLA AND OTHERS ....Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 28242 of 2006, decided on 4th February, 2013)
Counsel :
Dinesh Kacker, Ashok Kumar Pandey and S.C. for the Petitioner; S.C., Arvind Srivastava, S.S. Chauhn, V.C. Tripathi and W.H. Khan for the Respondents.
Headnote:Land—Restoration of—Forest Land—Whether the land in dispute was rightly declared as reserved forest or respondents are its bhoomidhars—Proceedings initiated in view of Apex Court's judgment in AIR 1987 SC 374—Plots as claimed by respondents were deleted from the proposal of making them reserved forest and they were declare to be tenure-holders—Judgment of Apex Court was in respect of Adiwasis and was not basically meant for the benefit of high caste literate influential people like the respondents—Abuse of Apex Court judgment deprecated—Respondents shall forthwith be evicted and land must be restored as reserved forest—Direction issued. [Paras 7 to 13]
Hon’ble S.U. Khan, J.—Heard Sri S.P. Mishra, learned standing counsel for the petitioner State of U.P. and Sri W.H. Khan, learned senior counsel assisted by Sri J.H. Khan, learned counsel for respondents.
2. The dispute in this writ petition is regarding plot No. 1058-M, area 80 bighas and plot No. 1093, area 21 bighas situate in Tehsil Rabertsganj District Sonebhadra (previously District Mirzapur) i.e. as to whether land was rightly declared as reserved forest or respondents are its bhoomidhars. The proceedings were initiated pursuant to the Supreme Court judgment in Banwasi Seva Ashram v. State of U.P. and others, AIR 1987 SC 374 : 1986 (4) SCC 753, in respect of lands situate within Dudhi and Robertsganj Tehsils in the District of Mirzapur. Para-1 of the said judgment is quoted below:
“1. On the basis of a letter received from Banwasi Seva Ashram operating in the Mirzapur District this writ petition under Article 32 was registered. Grievance was made on several scores in that letter but ultimately the question that required detailed consideration was relating to the claim of the Adivasis living within Dudhi and Robertsganj Tehsils in the District of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh to land and related rights. The State Government declared a part of these jungle lands in the two Tehsils as reserved forest as provided under Section 20, Forest Act, 1927, and in regard to the other areas notification under Section 4 of the Act was made and proceedings for final declaration of those areas also as reserved forests were undertaken. It is common knowledge that the Adivasis and other backward people living within the jungle used the forest area as their habitat. They had raised several villages within these two Tehsils and for generations had been using the jungles around for collecting the requirements for their livelihood, fruits, vegetables, fodder, flowers, timber, animals by way of sports and fuel wood. When a part of the jungle became reserved forest and in regard to other proceedings under the Act were taken, the forest officers started interfering with their operations in those areas. Criminal cases for encroachments as also other forest offences were registered and systematic attempt was made to obstruct them from free movement. Even steps for throwing them out under the U.P. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972. were taken.”
3. Pursuant to the said order, the four respondents filed objections before Forest Settlement Officer, Chopan, Mirzapur in 1988. Copy of the objections is Annexure-2 to the writ petition. At the end of the application, old number of the plot was mentioned as 276, new numbers of the said plots were mentioned as Plot No. 1093-M (part), area 21 bighas and Plot No. 1058-M, area 80 bighas. Forest Settlement Officer where case was registered as Case No. 581, Hari Prakash Shukla and others v. Forest Department, decided the matter in favour of the respondents. Copy of the judgment is Annexure-3 to the writ petition. It is undated and learned counsel for respondents admits that the original order does not bear any date. Through the said order, both the plots claimed by the respondents were deleted from the proposal of making them reserved forest and they were declared to be tenure holders. Against the said order, State of U.P. Forest Department filed Appeal No. 1961 of 1990, State of U.P. through Forest Department v. Hari Prakash Shukla and others. A.D.J., Chopan, Sonebhadra dismissed the appeal through judgment and order dated 4.4.1991.
4. The Supreme Court clarifying its earlier judgment of Adiwasi Sewa Ashram passed another order on 10.5.1991 observing at the end of the judgment as follows:
“It appears that there had been taking some instances where decisions have been taken but they required to be reviewed. Both on the side of the Government as also by the parties, counsel for the parties agree that review can be filed within 30 days from today and if so filed the plea of li