JUDGMENT

Petitioners have approached this Court challenging Ext.P7 order dated 09.02.2021 issued by the 4^th respondent, rejecting the Form 5 application submitted by the petitioners. Though Ext.P7 order was issued in respect of five applicants, only petitioners 2, 3, 6, and 7 are the applicants therein. Therefore, this Court is considering the challenge against Ext.P7 only insofar as it relates to petitioners 2, 3, 6, and 7. The petitioners 2,3,6 & 7 would contend that there is no independent consideration by the 4^th respondent regarding the issue involved. A perusal of Ext.P7 would reveal that the said order has been issued solely based on the report of the Agricultural Officer

2. This Court in Salim C.K. and Another v. State of Kerala and Others [ 2017 (1) KHC 394 ] has held that the Data Bank that was contemplated as per the provisions of the Act was to contain details only of cultivable paddy land and wetland within the area of jurisdiction of LLMC concerned. Further in Lalu P.S. v. State of Kerala [ 2020 (5) KHC 490 ] has held that the Data Bank to be prepared under the Act is the Data Bank of the cultivable paddy land existing as on the date of the coming into force of the Rul