Authorities must provide adequate opportunity for parties to present their case; decisions made in haste without hearing can lead to prejudice.

JUDGMENT

Saurabh Shyam Shamshery, J.

This case is arising out of consolidation proceedings. In the basic year, over plot no. 421 area 1 acre 73 decimal situated at village Kodari, Pargana Bayalasi, Tehsil Kerakat, District Jaunpur, name of original petitioner's father Dallan was recorded.

2. Opposite parties no. 5 to 9 filed their objections before the Consolidation Officer that they along with the petitioners belong to a joint family and disputed land was joint family property and as such they claimed co-tenancy right in the disputed land.

3. The Consolidation Officer by an order dated 23.03.1967 rejected the objections of respondents under Section 9A(2) of Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 and entries of basic year were confirmed. Relevant part of the order is quoted below :-

^^mHk; i{k dh mifLFkfr esa eqdnesa dh lquokbZ dh x;h rFkk muds }kjk izLrqr ekSf[kd o fyf[kr lk{; dks fefly ij fy;k x;kA mHk; i{k dh cgl lquh x;hA oknhx.k dh vksj ls Qjhdsu dk oa'k o`{k fuEu izdkj dgk x;k gSA

oknh dh vksj ls cgl djrs gq, fo}ku vf/koDrk us dgk gS fd nYyu eS eTtu xTtu ds lkFk e; ofYn;r l:i ds ,d nkok okn la0 88 nQk 59 ;w0ih0 esa nYyu dh tkfr dk FkkA dCtsnkj byyhxy cgr djrs gq, fo}ku odhy us dgk fd mDr nkok esa nYyu us eTtu o xTtu dks l:i dk yM+dk fy[kk gSA vr% ;g izekf.kr gS fd oknhx.k izfroknhx.k ds HkkbZ rFkk oa'k o`{k ds e`rd dze'k% Hkrhts gSaA

mijksDr cgl ls izekf.kr gS fd oknhx.k izfroknh ds firk ds gh oa'kt gSaA

tgka td lg [krsnkjh dk iz'u gS fd izfroknh dh vksj ls dgk x;k fd fookfnr Hkwfe muds }kjk izkIr dh x;h vkSj oknhx.k us crkSj ljek;k [kkunku dh gSfl;r ls fookfnr Hkwfe dks izfroknh }kjk izkIr crkrsA mls vius dks lg[kkrsnkj crk;k oknh dh vksj ls fn;s x;s c;ku ls Li"V gksrk gS fd oknhx.k o izfroknhx.k vyx&vyx jgrs gaA ,slh fLFkfr esa mHk; i{k ds la;qDr gksus rFkk izfroknh }kjk lcdh vksj ls crkSj ekfyd ds dk;Z dks is'k djds fLFkfr fujk/kkj gSA oknh dh vkifÙk O;FkZ gSA

vr% vkns'k gqvk fd [kkrk ua0 12 l 109 ls xTtu bR;kfn dh vkifÙk [kkfjt gks uacj 191@2@&02 xS0e0'kk0tks ntZ gks okn vey njken fefly nkf[ky n¶rj gksA**

[emphasis supplied]

4. Contesting respondents being aggrieved by the above order filed an appeal before Settlement Officer of Consolidation, however, it was dismissed on 08.09.1967. A copy of said order is not annexed along with this writ petition. The above order was challenged at behest of the respondents by way of filing a revision petition.

5. The petitioners filed a transfer application before Deputy Director of Consolidation, Jaunpur as revision petitioner was pending for many years, however, same was rejected by an order dated 12.05.1982 with a direction to parties to appear on 31.05.1982.

6. Case of petitioners is that the Revisional Authority who was at verge of his retirement has expedited the proceedings and rejected prayer of adjournment and proceeded with revision petition and decided by an ex-parte order dated 29.05.1982 whereby revision was allowed. Relevant part of the order is mentioned below:-

^^mijksDr lk{;ksa ij izdk'k Mkyrs gq, fo0 vf/koäk us cSukek fnukad 26-12-60 ls ;g fn[kkus dh dksf'k'k dh x;h gS fd blesa nyu ds cki dk uke Lo:i o xtu Hktu ds cki dk uke vuq:i gSA cSukek fy[kkrs le; nyu ekStwn Fks vkSj ckdh HkkbZ xtu Hktu iq= x.k vuq:i ugha FksA vkSj nyu dh pkykdh ls ofYn;r vyx&vyx ntZ djk fn;kA ;g Hkh dgk x;k fd ;g cSukek dh udy gS vkSj vly ds xk;c gksus dk dksbZ lk{; ugha fn;kA

vr% ;g lk{; esa xzkg; Hkh ugha gSA nwljs cSukek fnukad 21-01-68 esa ntu iq= vuq:i fy[kk gS bldk Hkh dksbZ vU; lk{; ugha gSA fuxjkuhdrkZvksa us ;g crk;k gS fd Lo:i vkSj vuq:i ,d gh O;fDr gSA Hktu ds c;ku esa Hkh firk dk uke vuq:i fy[kk gSA blls Hkh dksbZ varj ugha gSA D;ksafd vuq:i vkSj Lo:i ,d gh O;fDr gS ;g c;ku Hkh lk{; esa xzkg; ugha gS D;ksafd Hktu dks ryc djds iwNrkN ugha dh x;hA ;g Hkh dgk x;k fd fuxjkuhdrkZvksa us c;ku rgjhjh Li"V fy[kk gS fd nyu vius Hkkb;ksa esa lcls cM+s FksA vuq:i dh udy QkSrh Hkh nkf[ky gS ftlds vuqlkj mudh e`R;q fnukad 06-03-58 dks gqbZ gSA nyu ds c;ku ls Hkh Li"V gS fd