Dharambir Prasad Singh And ORS v. The State Of Bihar And ORS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.3357 of 2009 ======================================================

1. Dharamir Prasad Singh son of late Degan Singh

2. Ranbir Singh son of late Degan Singh

3. Sakaldeo Singh son of late Degan Singh

4. Devendra Prasad Singh son of late Degan Singh

5. Dinesh Prasad Singh son of late Nawab Singh

6. Kapildeo Singh son of late Dax Dev Narayan Singh

7. Ram Naresh Singh son of late Dev Narayan Singh

8. Suresh Singh son of late Mahadev Singh.

9. Umesh Singh son of late Mahadev Singh

10. Amresh Singh son of late Mahadev Singh

11. Sunil Kumar Singh son of late Shivji Prasad Singh

12. Sukesh Prasad Singh son of late Shivji Prasad Singh

13. Shashi Bhushan Kumar son of late Shivji Prasad Singh

14. Rajeev Patel son of late Shivji Prasad Singh All of village Ufraul, P.O. Ufraul, P.S.

Desari, Anchal-Desari, District Vaishali.

.... Petitioners.

-Versus1. The State of Bihar.

2. Director of Consolidation, Bihar, Patna,

3. Krishnadeo Singh son of late Bishwanath Singh

4. Binde shwari Singh son of late Bishwanath Singh, Both residents of village-Ufraul, P.0. Ufraul, Anchal-Desari, Distt, Vaishali. Respondents Ist Party.

5. Raj Mangal Singh son of late Rajendra Singh

6. Sumangal Singh son of late Rajendra Singh.

2/5

7. Ram Babu Singh son of late Tajendra Singh

8. Hari Nath Singh son of late Ram Nagina Singh

9. Sujeet Singh son of late Ram Nagina Singh All residents of village- Ufraul, P.0. Ufraul, Anchal- Desari, DistrictVaishali. ... Respondents 2nd Party. ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ravi Shankar Dvivedi, Advocate For the Respondent/s :

SC 17 ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PARTHA SARTHY ORAL ORDER 24-02-2023 Heard learned counsel for the parties.

The petitioner has filed the instant writ application for the following relief(s):- "1. That this application is being filed for issuance of an appropriate writ/order/direction, quashing the order dated 12.1.2009 passed by Respondent No.2 in Consolidation Revision Case No. 36 of 2008 and to direct him to make proper enquiries into the matter and record the findings on the merit of the case made in the revision petition under the facts and circumstances of the case and/or be pleased to pass such other order or orders as your lordships may deem fit and proper."

It is submitted by learned counsel appearing for the respondents that the petitioner has an alternate and efficacious remedy of pursuing his case before the tribunal constituted under the Bihar Land Tribunal Act, 2009 ('the Act' in short).

3/5 Sections 9 and 15 of the Act are quoted herein below for ready reference.

"9. Powers of the Tribunal. - (1) The Tribunal shall have the power to entertain any application against the final order passed by the Appropriate Authorities under the Acts/ Manuals, mentioned below, within 90 days of such an order provided no other forum of appeal or revision against the order passed is provided in that Act/ Manuals:

(i) The Bihar Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling Area and Acquisition of Surplus Land) Act, 1961 (ii) The Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950 (iii) The Bihar Tenancy Act, 1885 (iv) The Bihar Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation Act, 1956 (v) The Bihar Tenants' Holdings (Maintenance of Records) Act, 1973 (vi) The Bihar Bhoodan Yagna Act, 1954 (vii) The Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy Act, 1947 (viii) The Bihar Government Estates Manual, 1953 (ix) The Bihar Settlement Manual It shall be open to the State Government to add or remove any Law/Manual in or from the list hereinfore mentioned.

(2) In addition, the Tribunal shall decide any case

4/5 transferred to it by the Government of Bihar or by the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature at Patna with regard to any other revenue or land reforms Law/ Manual for the time being in force.

(3) The Tribunal shall have powers vested in the Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Act V of 1908) including the power to recommend to punish for Contempt of Court.

15. Transfer of proceedings pending in Patna High Court/ State Government to the Tribunal. - All cases connected with the Acts/ Manuals dealt with under Section 9 of this Act and pending in the High Court of Judicature at Patna but excluding writ petitions filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India and cases pending with the State Government, immediately before the commencement of this Act, as could have been within the jurisdiction of such Tribunal, and cases arising after the commencement of this Act, as would have been within the jurisdiction of such Tribunal, shall stand transferred to the Tribunal with effect from the said date of commencement: Provided further that it shall be open to the High Court of Judicature at Patna to remit the dispute pending adjudication in any writ proceeding before it for adjudication by the Tribunal."

Having heard the parties and taking into consideration the relevant provisions of the Act, especially section 9 and proviso to section 15 of the Act, the instant application is remitted to the learned tribunal constituted under the Act for adjudication in accordance with law.

Before the records are sent, the office of this Court will retain a complete photocopy of the order sheet as also a

5/5 complete copy of the petition along with all annexures etc.. Thereafter, the original records will be transferred to the tribunal constituted under the Act.

The parties who have appeared in the writ application shall appear before the tribunal within a period of four weeks. With respect to those who have not appeared, the tribunal shall notify the date and place of hearing as provided under Rule 12 of the Bihar Land Tribunal Rules 2010 and thereafter proceed to decide the case in accordance with law.

It is clarified that the interim order/protection, if any, granted to the petitioner in the instant application shall continue till the first date of hearing in the tribunal. The writ application stands disposed of.

(Partha Sarthy, J) Bibhash U