2001 Supreme(MP) 296

2002 (1) JLJ 73
Dipak Misra, J.
Gram Panchayat, Parei v. State of M.P. and others
Writ Petition No. 1083 of 2001; Decided on 2.5.2001.

Headnote:(1) Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 1993 (M.P.) -- Ss.49 and 50 -Constitution of India -- Arts. 226 and 227 -- relief -- prayer not made in specific terms to declare that Gram Panchayat has right and not Janpad Panchayat -- essence of grievance is that its rights are being taken away -- writ Court has jurisdiction to mould relief.

       The petitioner Gram Panchayat had granted quarry permit for extracting sand from Ken river to Khanij Karm Udyog Co-operative Societies Limited, respondent No.7 herein and to that effect, an agreement was executed and royalty was fixed. On 14.1.2000, the State Government issued a letter/circular whereby it was directed that in respect of quarries mentioned in the Schedule II of the Rules 1996, the power to grant quarry permit, would be exercised by Janpad Panchayat in place of Gram Panchayat..... The State Government in the Department of Mines and Minerals issued another order on 19.7.2000 making it clear that till the Rules are amended, the directions contained in the order dated 14.1.2000 shall not be carried out in respect of grant of quarry lease. [Para 2

       The Janpad Panchayat, Gaurihar, through its Chief Executive Officer, executed an agreement in favour of the respondent No.6 for extraction of sand from Ken river which was earlier granted by the petitioner Gram Panchayat in favour of the respondent no. 7.....As the aforesaid grant, per se, was illegal, it was assailed in a writ petition forming the subject-matter of W.P. 6582/2000 by one Jagdish Prasad. When the matter came to the notice of the Collector, Chhatarpur, respondent No.3, that some illegal lease had been granted by the respondent No.4, he cancelled the same by order dated 6.12.2000. When the writ petition was taken up on 8.12.2000, the Assistant Mining Officer was present in Court and he made a statement that the respondent No.6 would not be allowed to operate the lease. As it was brought to the notice of this Court that the lease granted in favour of the respondent No. 6 was cancelled, the matter was disposed of on observing that it had been rendered infructuous. At that stage, the respondent no. 6, the grantee, filed an appeal before the Commissioner, Sagar Division, respondent No.2, for stay of the operation of the order dated 6.12.2000 passed by the Collector. The respondent No.2 passed the order of stay on 13.12.2000........ The respondent No.6 not only approached the respondent No. 2 for grant of stay but he also approached the respondent No.5, the Hon‘ble Minister of State, Panchayat and Rural Development, M.P., and was successful in obtaining the order of stay from him........ It has been pleaded that as per distribution of powers, the order which was passed by the Collector could have been assailed and heard only before the Principal Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department, and not by the Hon‘ble Minister of State. In this factual backdrop, the order dated 7.2.2001 passed by the respondent No. 5 and order dated 13.12.2000 passed by the respondent No.2 have been called in question. [Para 3

       Held: In the prayer portion, it has been prayed that this Court should hold that the petitioner Panchayat has the authority to grant quarry permit in favour of respondent No.7. On a perusal of the grounds and the relief clause, it appears the grievance of the petitioner Panchayat in essence is that its rights are being taken away. True it is, a prayer in specific terms has not been made to declare that the Gram Panchayat has the right and the Janpad Panchayat does not have the right but when from the pleadings and the relief sought it flows to some extent, I am of the considered view that this Court has the jurisdiction to mould the relief. (1999) CLT 99 (SC), AIR 1951 SC 41, AIR 1962 SC 1161, AIR 1977 SC 237 and AIR 1981 SC 1653 followed. [Para 17

       (2) Minor Mineral Rules, 1996 (M.P.) -- Rr. 6 and 7 -- grant and renewal of quarry lease -- annual value of sand quarry within Rs. 2, 50,000/- quarry stands transferred to Gram Panchayat -- it is a one-time transfer -- Gram Panchayat would not be divested because of rise in price.

       If rule 7 is read in proper perspective, the language used is ‘stands transferred‘. The ‘Explanation‘ fixes the assessment of the annual value and the same is done for the purpose of transfer/sanction of power of quarries to the respective Panchayats at the commencement of the Rules. If the words ‘stands transferred‘, ‘assessment of value‘ and ‘sanctioning power‘ are read conjointly, then the only meaning that warrants acceptance is that the quarries stand transferred and this is a one time transfer. For the purpose of such transfer, as has been stipulated in the ‘Explanation‘, the manner of assessment has been prescribed. There is no mode to show that the quarry would get automatically transferred to Janpad Panchayat or Zila Panchayat. In the absence of such a mode being provided, it is to be deemed that the quarry stands transferred in favour of the Gram Panchayat. It vests in the concerned Panchayat by virtue of transfer and the concept of re-transfer is alien to the scheme and framework of the present Rules. [Para 20

       (3) Minor Mineral Rules, 1996 (M.P.) -- R. 38(4)(a) -- preferential right -- cooperative society/association must satisfy conditions precedent -- society not meeting requirements with passage of time -- State Government cannot direct continuance of lease. (1984) 1 SCC 107 distinguished. [Para 29

       (4) Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 1993 (M.P.) -- Ss. 49 and 50 -M.P. Minor Mineral Rules, 1996 -- Rr. 6 and 7 -- power vested with Gram Panchayat under the Rules -- cannot be exercised by Janpad Panchayat under executive instruction -- no right conferred by acting on such instructions. [Paras 22 & 25

       (5) Executive Instructions -- issued in anticipation of amendment in M.P. Minor Mineral Rules. 1996 -- in absence of amendment, such letter/circular divesting rights/interest of Gram Panchayat is wholly in defensible and unwarranted. [Para 25

       (6) Equity -- Gram Panchayat divested of its right, title and interest by executive fiat vesting rights in Janpad Panchayat -- Janpad Panchayat auctioning quarry lease under such instructions issued with scant regard to Rules -- beneficiary of grant from a stranger to property cannot claim equity -- rule of law must prevail.

       The question has to be adjudicated keeping in view the autonomy of the Gram Panchayat and collective •interest on one hand and the financial interest of the respondent No.6 on the other. The respondent No.6 claims on the basis of the instruction given by the State Government and the Gram Panchayat claims by operation of law. In a democratic set up, the rule of law must prevail as that is the basic norm of a civilised democratic society. Hence, the question of equity in favour of the respondent No.6 does not arise. AIR 1979 SC 1628 followed. [Para 26

       (7) Estoppel -- M.P . Minor Mineral Rules, 1996 -- Rr. 7 and 38 (1) -- M.P. Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 1993 -- S. 2(viii) -- Gram Sabha has a positive role -- presence of Sarpanch at time of auction by Janpad Panchayat cannot validate auction or estop Gram Panchayat from challenging action taken by Janpad Panchayat. [Para 28

       (8) Minor Mineral Rules, 1996 (M.P.) -- Rr. 22 and 38 -- period of quarry lease -- lease can be granted for less than two years so long as renewal clause is not incorporated -- applications may be invited after expiry and disposed of in accordance with R. 38. [Para 29

       (9) Constitution of India -- Arts. 226 and 227 -- writ petition rendered infructuous by order of cancellation by competent authority -- no issue decided in disposal of petition -- open to person aggrieved by order of competent authority to challenge it -- his right is not sealed by order of Court. [Para 31

       ¼1½ iapk;r jkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 ¼e-ç-½&/kkjk 42 rFkk 50&Hkkjr dk lafo/kku&vuq-226 rFkk 227&vuqrks"k&fofufnZ"V ‘‘kCnksa esa ;g ?kksf"kr djus dh çkFkZuk ugha dh xbZ fd xzke iapk;r dks vf/kdkj gS] tuin iapk;r dks ugha&f‘kdk;r dk lkj gS fd mlds vf/kdkj Nhus tk jgs gSa&fjV U;k;ky; dks vuqrks"k xfBr djus dh vf/kdkfjrk gSA

       ;kph xzke iapk;r }kjk [kfut deZ m|ksx lgdkjh lkslk;Vh e;kZfnr] blesa çR;FkhZ Ø-7] dks dsu unh ls jsr fudkyus ds fy, mR[kuu dh vuqKk çnÙk dh xbZ Fkh rFkk bl vk‘k; dk djkj fu"ikfnr fd;k x;k Fkk vkSj LokfeLo fu;r fd;k x;k FkkA 14-1-2000 dks jkT; ljdkj }kjk Ik=@ifji= tkjh fd;k x;k ftlds }kjk funsf‘kr fd;k x;k fd 1996 ds fu;eksa dh vuqlwph 2 esa mfYyf[kr [knkuksa ds ckjs esa mR[kuu dh vuqKk çnÙk djus dh ‘kfDr xzke iapk;r ds LFkku ij tuin iapk;r }kjk ç;qDr dh tk,xhA jkT; ljdkj ds [kku rFkk [kfut foHkkx }kjk 19-7-2000 dks ;g Li"V djrs gq, ,d vU; vkns‘k tkjh fd;k x;k fd fu;eksa esa la‘kks/ku gksus rd vkns‘k fnuakd 14-1-2000 esa varfoZ"V mR[kuu iV~Vs ds çnk; ds ckjs esa funs‘kksa dk ikyu ugha fd;k tk,A ¿iSjk 2

       vius eq[; dk;Zikyu vf/kdkjh ds ek/;e ls tuin iapk;r] xkSjhgkj }kjk dsu unh ls jsr fudkyus ds fy, çR;FkhZ Ø-6 ds i{k esa djkj fu"ikfnr fd;k x;k] tks ;kph xzke iapk;r }kjk iwoZ esa çR;FkhZ Ø-7 ds i{k esa çnÙk fd;k x;k FkkA---D;ksafd iwoksZDr çnk; ¼tuin iapk;r }kjk½ Lo;eso voS/k Fkk] ml ij ,d txnh‘k çlkn }kjk vk{ksi fd;k x;k] tks fjV ;kfpdk Ø-6582@2000 dh fo"k;&oLrq cukA tc dyDVj] Nrjiqj] çR;FkhZ Ø-3 dh tkudkjh esa ;g vk;k fd çR;FkhZ Ø-4 }kjk dksbZ voS/kiV~Vk çnku fd;k x;k gS] mUgksaus mls vkns‘k fnukad 6-12-2000 }kjk jn~n dj fn;kA tc 8-12-2000 dks fjV ;kfpdk ij fopkj fd;k x;k rc lgk;d [knku vf/kdkjh U;k;ky; esa mifLFkr Fkk rFkk mlus dFku fd;k fd çR;FkhZ Ø-6 dks iV~Vk çofrZr djus ugha fn;k tk,xkA D;ksafd U;k;ky; dh tkudkjh esa ;g yk;k x;k Fkk fd çR;FkhZ Ø-6 ds i{k esa çnÙk iV~Vk jí gks x;k gS] blfy, ;g fViI.kh djrs gq, ekeys dk fuiVkjk fd;k x;k Fkk fd og fu"Qy gks x;k gSA ml çØe ij] çR;FkhZ djrs gq, ekeys dk fuiVkjk fd;k x;k Fkk fd og fu"Qy gks x;k gSA ml çØe ij] çR;FkhZ Ø-6] çkfIrdrkZ us vk;qDr] lkxj laHkkx] çR;FkhZ Ø-2 ds le{k] dyDVj }kjk ikfjr vkns‘k fnukad 6-12-2000 dk çorZu jksdus ds fy, vihy Qkby dhA çR;FkhZ Ø-2 us 13-12-2000 dks jksd vkns‘k ikfjr fd;kA-----çR;FkhZ Ø-6 jksd ds çnk; ds fy, çR;FkhZ Ø-2 ds gh ikl ugha x;k] vfirq og çR;FkhZ Ø-5] ekuuh; jkT; ea=h] iapk;r rFkk xzkeh.k fodkl] e-ç- ds le{k Hkh x;k rFkk muls jksd vkns‘k vfHkçkIr djus esa lQy jgkA----vfHkokd~ fd;k x;k gS fd ‘kfDr;ksa ds forj.k ds vuqlkj] dyDVj }kjk ikfjr vkns‘k ij dsoy eq[; lfpo] iapk;r rFkk xzkeh.k fodkl foHkkx ds le{k dh vk{ksi rFkk lquokbZ dh tk ldrh Fkh] ekuuh; jkT; ea=h ds le{k ughaA bl rF;kRed i`"BHkwfe esa] çR;FkhZ esa] çR;FkhZ Ø-5 }kjk ikfjr vkns‘k fnukad 7-2-2001 rFkk çR;FkhZ Ø-2 }kjk ikfjr vkns‘k fnukad 13-12-2000 ç‘uxr fd, x, gSaA ¿iSjk 3

       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % çkFkZuk okys va‘k esa çkFkZuk dh xbZ gS fd bl U;k;ky; }kjk vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k tkuk pkfg, fd ;kph iapk;r dks çR;FkhZ Ø-7 ds i{k esa] mR[kuu vuqKk çnÙk djus dk çkf/kdkj gSA vk/kkjksa rFkk vuqrks"k&[kaM dk ifj‘khyu djus ij çrhr gksrk gS fd ;kph iapk;r dh f‘kdk;r dk lkj ;g gS fd mlds vf/kdkj Nhus tk jgs gSaA ;g lR; gS fd fofufnZ"V ‘‘kCnksa esa ;g ?kksf"kr djus dh çkFkZuk ugha dh xbZ gS fd xzke iapk;r dks vf/kdkj gS rFkk tuin iapk;r dks vf/kdkj ugha gSa( ijarq tc vfHkopuksa ls rFkk bZfIlr vuqrks"k ls ,slk dqN lhek rd çokfgr gksrk gks rc] esjk n`f"Vdks.k gS fd bl U;k;ky; dks vuqrks"k xfBr djus dh vf/kdkfjrk gSA ¼1999½ lh ,y Vh 99 ¼,l lh½] , vkb vkj 1951 ,l lh 41] , vkb vkj 1962 ,l lh 1161] , vkb vkj 1977 ,l lh 237 rFkk , vkb vkj 1981 ,l lh 1653 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 17

       ¼2½ xkS.k [kfut fu;e] 1996 ¼e-ç-½&fu-6 rFkk 7&mR[kuu iV~Vs dk çnk; rFkk uohdj.k&jsr [knku dk okf"kZd ewY; #- 2]50]000@& ds Hkhrj&[knku xzke iapk;r dks varfjr gks xbZ&;g ,d gh ckj gksus okyk varj.k gS&dher esa o`f) ds dkj.k xzke iapk;r vius vf/kdkj ls fufuZfgr ugha gksxhA

       ;fn fu;e 7 dks mfpr ifjçs{; esa i<+k tk, rc ç;qDr Hkk"kk gS] ^varfjr ekuh tk,¡xh*A ^Li"Vhdj.k* esa okf"kZd ewY; dk fu/kkZj.k fu;r gS rFkk ,slk fu;eksa ds çkjaHk gksus ds le; vyx&vyx iapk;rksa dks [knkuksa ds iV~Vs dh ‘kfDr gLrkarfjr@eatwj djus ds ç;kstu ds fy, fd;k x;k gSA ;fn ‘‘kCn ^gLrkarfjr ekuh tk,¡xh*] ^ewY; fu/kkZj.k* rFkk ^eatwjh vf/kdkjksa* la;qDr :i ls i<+s tk,¡ rc Lohdkj djus ;ksX; ,dek= vFkZ ;g fudyrk gS fd [knkusa varfjr gks xbZ rFkk ;g ,d gh ckj gksus okyk gLrkarj.k gSA ,sls gLrkarj.k ds ç;kstukFkZ] tSlk ^Li"Vhdj.k* esa vuqcaf/kr fd;k x;k gS] fu/kkZj.k dh jhfr fofgr dh xbZ gSA ,slk n‘kkZus ds fy, dksbZ <ax ugha gSa fd [knku tuin iapk;r vFkok ftyk iapk;r dks Lo;eso gLrkarfjr gks tk,xhA ,slk <ax micaf/kr gksus ds vHkko esa] le>k tkuk gksxk fd [knku xzke iapk;r ds i{k esa gLrkarfjr gks xbZA og gLrkarj.k ds vk/kkj ij laca) iapk;r esa fufgr gks xbZ gS rFkk orZeku fu;eksa dh ;kstuk vkSj <k¡ps esa iqu% varj.k ladYiuk vlaxr gSA ¿iSjk 20

       ¼3½ xkS.k [kfut fu;e] 1996 ¼e-ç-½&fu-38¼4½ ¼d½&vf/kekuh vf/kdkj&lgdkjh lkslkbVh@lg;kstu }kjk iwoZ ‘krs± iw.kZ dh tkuk gksaxh≤ ds cgko ds lkFk lkslkbVh vis{kk,¡ iwjh ugha dj ldh&jkT ljdkj }kjk iV~Vk fujarj j[kus dk funs‘k ugha fn;k tk ldrkA ¼1984½ 1 ,l lh lh 107 çHksfnrA ¿iSjk 29

       ¼4½ iapk;r jkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 ¼e-ç-½&/kkjk 49 rFkk 50&e-ç- xkS.k [kfut fu;e] 1996&fu-6 rFkk 7&fueksa ds v/khu xzke iapk;r eas fufgr ‘kfDr&dkZikfyd vuqns‘kksa ds v/khu tuin iapk;r }kjk ç;qDr ugha dh tk ldrh&,sls vuqns‘kksa ij dkjZokbZ gksus ls dksbZ vf/kdkj çnÙk ugha gksxkA ¿iSjk 22 ,oa 25

       ¼5½ dk;Zikfyd vuqns‘k&e-ç-xkS.k [kfut fu;e] 1996 esa la‘kks/ku dh çR;k‘kk esa tkjh&la‘kks/ku ds vHkko esa] xzke iapk;r ds vf/kdkjh fgr fufuZfgr djus dk ,slk i=@ifji= iw.kZr% vleFkZuh; rFkk vokaNuh; gSA ¿iSjk 25

       ¼6½ lkE;k&tuin iapk;r esa vf/kdkj fufgr djus dh dk;Zikfyd vkns‘k }kjk xzke iapk;r vius vf/kdkjksa] gd rFkk fgr ls fufuZfgr&fuekas dh voKk djrs gq, tkjh fd, x, ,sls vuqns‘kksa ds v/khu tuin iapk;r }kjk mR[kuu iV~Vs dk uhyke&laifÙk esa ij&OfDr ls vuqnku dk fgrkf/kdkjh lkE;k dk nkok ugha dj ldrk&fof/k&lEer ‘kklu vfHkHkkoh gksuk gksxkA

       ç‘u dk vf/kfu;e ,d vkSj xzke iapk;r dk Lo‘kklu rFkk lkewfgd fgr rFkk nwljh vksj çR;FkhZ Ø-6 dk foÙkh; fgr n`f"V esa j[krs gq, djuk gksxkA çR;FkhZ Ø-6 dk nkok jkT; ljdkj }kjk fn, x, vuqns‘kksa ds vk/kkj ij gS rFkk xzke iapk;r dk nkok fof/k ds çorZu }kjk gSA yksdrkaf=d xBu esa] fof/k&lEer ‘kklu vfHkHkkoh gksuk gksxk D;ksafd og lH; yksdrkaf=d lekt dk vk/kkjHkwr lfUu;e gSA vr%] çR;FkhZ Ø-6 ds i{k esa lkE;k dk ç‘u mn~Hkwr gh ugha gksrkA , vkb vkj 1979 ,l lh 1628 vuqlfjrA ¿iSjk 26

       ¼7½ foca/k&e-ç- xkS.k fu;e] 1996&fu-7 rFkk 38¼1½&e-ç- iapk;r jkt vf/kfu;e] 1993&/kkjk 2 ¼vkB½&xzke lHkk dh fof/kÑr Hkwfedk gS&tuin iapk;r }kjk uhyke ds le; ljiap dh mifLFkfr ls uhyke fof/kekU; ugha gks ldrk vFkok xzke iapk;r] tuin iapk;r }kjk dh xbZ dkjZokbZ ij vk{ksi djus ls focaf/kr ugha gks ldrhA ¿iSjk 28

       ¼8½ xkS.k [kfut fu;e] 1996 ¼e-ç-½&fu-22 rFkk 38&mR[kuu iV~Vs dh vof/k&uohdj.k [kaM varfoZ"V ugha gks rc rd nks o"kZ ls de vof/k ds fy, iV~Vk çnÙk fd;k tk ldrk gS&volku ds i‘pkr~ vkosnu vkeaf=r dj fu-38 ds vuqlkj fuiVk, tk ldrs gSaA ¿iSjk 29

       ¼9½ Hkkjr dk lafo/kku&vuq-226 rFkk 227&l{ke çkf/kdkjh ds jídj.k vkns‘k }kjk fjV ;kfpdk fu"Qy gks xbZ&;kfpdk ds fuiVkjs esa dksbZ fook|d fofuf‘pr ugha&l{ke çkf/kdkjh ds vkns‘k ls O;fFkr mls vkf{kIr dj ldrk gS&Uk;ky; ds vkns‘k ls mldk vkf/kdkj caf/kr ugha gSA ¿iSjk 31