Ramjit Mahto v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.7739 of 2026 ====================================================== Ramjit Mahto S/o Ramnath Mahto, Resident of Village - Madhopur, P.O. - Madhopur, P.S. - Madhopur, District- Gopalganj. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar Through Principal Secretary Department of Revenue and Land Reforms Govt. of Bihar.

2.

The Collector - Cum- District Magistrate, Gopalganj. 3.

The Additional Collector, Gopalganj.

4.

The Circle Officer, Barauli, District- Gopalganj. ... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ranjan Kumar Dubey, Advocate For the Respondent/s :

Mr. Sudama Kumar, AC to SC-12 ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY ORAL ORDER 20-07-2026 Heard Mr. Ranjan Kumar Dubey, learned counsel for the petitioner and the State.

2. The present petition has been preferred for the following relief/s:

"(i) for issuance of writ in the nature of certiorari for quashing the notice dated 14.04.2026 issued under the signature of Circle Officer, Barauli, District Gopalganj by which he has directed the petitioners to produce the evidence in respect of land situated at Madhopur, Thana No. 236, Khata No. 60, Khesara No. 1904, Area 1 Acre 52 decimals by 20.04.2026 at about 11:00 A.M otherwise proceeding will be initiated under the provisions of Public Land Encroachment Act.

Patna High Court CWJC No.7739 of 2026(3) dt.20-07-2026 2/3 (ii) For issuance of writ in the nature of command directing the respondents to maintain status-quo over the land in question till final disposal of the instant writ petition.

(iii) For any other relief/reliefs for which petitioner deemed entitled to."

3. Earlier, the Coordinate Bench directed the State to file counter affidavit on 24.06.2026, but today, on call, the submission is that no reply has come.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that though notice has been issued, the case number/year is missing and as such, it is impossible to answer to the notice.

5. Though the counter affidavit has not come, learned State counsel also acknowledges that the case number/year is not present.

6. This Court as also the Coordinate Benches, in number of cases, have depreciated such attitude of the respondent-authorities in not giving the details, sometimes of the land and at other, the case number/year as a result whereof, they lose the battle at the first stage itself.

7. The notice dated 14.04.2026 issued by the Circle Officer, Barauli (Gopalganj) in which no case number/year stands incorporated, stands quashed.

Patna High Court CWJC No.7739 of 2026(3) dt.20-07-2026 3/3

8. The Circle Officer, Barauli, Gopalganj is free to take recourse to issuance of fresh notice after taking corrective measures.

10. The writ petition stands disposed of with the aforesaid observations.

(Rajiv Roy, J) Sanny/- U