AD -13

Ct No.16

17.11.2025

(SSS)

WPLRT 173 of 2025

Chandra Nath Ghosh

Vs.

The State of West Bengal and Ors.

Mr. Rafiqul Islam,

Ms. Manika Sarkar, Advs.

……For the petitioner.

Mr. Falguni Bandyopadhyay,

Ms. Riya Ballav, Advs.

….For the respondent nos. 6 to 15.

Mr. Chandi Charan De, Ld. Addl. Govt. Pleader,

Mr. Haripada Maity, Adv.

….For the State respondents.

1. Affidavit of service filed today be kept on

record.

2. The petitioner alleges that the learned Tribunal, by its order dated September 2, 2025, postponed the matter for hearing till June 23,

2026.

3. Learned Additional Government Pleader, appearing for the State submits that the long time granted was justified since a report has been called for from the S.D.O., Islampur. It is submitted that the Sub-Divisional Officer shall require some time to sift through the records and give a proper and complete report to the Tribunal.

4. Learned counsel appearing for the private respondents seeks an opportunity to file written objection before the Tribunal.

5. We find from the records that it is not clear as to what shall be the contents of the report called for from the S.D.O. Be that as it may, since a report has been called for, as rightly submitted on behalf of the State, some time will be consumed in preparing such report. However, the long period of nine months seems to be inordinately long from all perspectives even for filing a report by the S.D.O. In our opinion, two months would suffice for the S.D.O. to collect all relevant materials to prepare and furnish a report to the Tribunal.

6. Also, to expedite the matter, the respondents in the original application ought to have been permitted to file their respective objections in the meantime.

7. Accordingly, WPLRT 173 of 2025 is disposed of by modifying the impugned order dated September 2, 2025 passed by the Fourth Bench, West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal in O.A. 2195 of 2025 (LRTT), to the limited extent that the respondents in the original application shall file their respective written objections to the said application within two months from date.

8. The S.D.O. shall furnish the report as directed by the said order by December 31, 2025.

9. The learned Tribunal shall thereafter proceed to shift back the returnable date, as fixed earlier, and make all endeavour to dispose of the original application as expeditiously as possible, preferably within August 31, 2026.

10.There will be no order as to costs.

11.The parties shall act on the server copy of this order, duly downloaded from the official website of this court.