Kaloba Maroti Mariba Thorat v. The State Of Maharashtra And Others
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.2327 OF 2017 Kaloba @ Maroti s/o Mariba Thorat, Age-74 years, Occu:Agri.
& Ex-service man, R/o-Kondha, Tq-Ardhapur, Dist-Nanded.
...PETITIONER
VERSUS
1) The State of Maharashtra, Through Secretary of Revenue Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
2) The Collector, Collector Office, Nanded, Tq-Nanded, Dist-Nanded,
3) The Tahsildar, Tq-Ardhapur, Dist-Nanded.
...RESPONDENTS ...
Ms. Maya R. Jamdhade Advocate for Petitioner. Mr.A.V. Deshmukh, A.G.P. for Respondents No. 1 to 3.
...
CORAM: SUNIL P. DESHMUKH AND S.M. GAVHANE, JJ.
DATE : 20TH AUGUST, 2019 ORAL JUDGMENT [PER SUNIL P. DESHMUKH, J.] :
1.
Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith.
Heard learned counsel for the appearing parties finally, by consent.
2.
The petitioner is seeking writ of mandamus or directions in the nature of mandamus to record/incorporate his name in the revenue record as an occupant, in Gairan land to the extent of 5 acres in gut No.25 situated at village Kondha, taluka-Ardhapur, district-Nanded.
3.
Succinctly stated, it is the petitioner's case that he had joined army force as soldier in the year 1962 and served for about 20 years and 5 months, taking part in India-Pakistan war/s in
1965-1966 and 1971-1972. He is recipient of various medals from the military department. Around July, 1982 he was discharged from service and since then he has been residing at village Kondha along with his family. The petitioner was landless person. He had applied for grant of 5 acre land in Gut No.25 at village Kondha in Form No.D by following due procedure. Accordingly he had occupied 5 acre land from Gut No.25 at village Kondha and had requested to record his name in 7 X 12 extract. The petitioner has been cultivating said 5 acres land since then.
4.
According to the petitioner, he had been cultivating the said land since 1982 continuously and on 18th March, 1982 he had filled in Form No.D and requested the authorities to record his name in 7 X 12 extract, however, his request was not considered. The petitioner had again, on 6th September, 1992, addressed an application to the
Collector and Tahsildar, Nanded. It is in the year 1992, according to the petitioner, in response to his application, information had been solicited by respondent No.2.
5.
The authorities had found the petitioner to be in possession and occupation of the said land since long time. Since the petitioner has been cultivating the land and his name is not appearing in 7 X 12 extract, he had been approaching respondents No.2 and 3 continuously and had also filed representation on 11th September, 2015, wherein it has been specifically referred to that with reference to government resolution dated 28th November, 1991 he is praying for regularization of encroachment, he being exserviceman and participated in wars and being a scheduled caste person. It is further referred to, pursuant to Maharashtra Land Revenue (disposal of government lands) Rules 1971, rule 11 thereof,
land has to be granted to the person who had been ex-serviceman, serving member of armed forces, a person belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, who agrees to cultivate the land personally. It is further referred to, since the petitioner being in occupation of the said land since 1980 onwards, his case be considered by regularizing his occupation and encroachment. The government resolutions dated 12th July, 2007 and 9th March, 2007 have also been referred to by the petitioner and accordingly encroachment on government land is sought to be regularized.
6.
Respondent No. 3 has filed affidavit in reply stating that the petitioner had been in illegal occupation of government land in the year 1989-1990, however, thereafter he is not in possession over said land. It is being referred to that case of the petitioner would not fit into the criteria prescribed under government resolution
dated 14th April, 1990. It is referred to that on 28th March, 1989, Collector, Nanded resolved to reserve the concerned land for extension of gaothan of village Kondha. It is further being contended that encroachment of the petitioner over government land, pursuant to government circular dated 28th November, 1991, would not be considered for regularization, and government resolution dated 12th July, 2011, issued pursuant to decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court, requires removal of encroachment over Gairan land, since it can be used for public purposes of the State and should not be continued to be allotted to a private person. Thus, the claim of the petitioner is disputed.
7.
In rejoinder to the petition, the petitioner has made reference to a panchnama dated 6th September, 1992, in which it appears that it is referred to that the petitioner has encroached
over the said land for over 5 to 6 years. It is the case of the petitioner, as a matter of fact water supply charges are being recovered from him for supply of water to his said land. Reference in rejoinder has also been made to government resolution dated 28th December, 1991, according to which, learned counsel for the petitioner submits, encroachment of the petitioner over the Gairan land deserves to be regularized.
8.
In the decision of Supreme Court in the case of Jagpal Singh and others vs. State of Punjab and others, reported in AIR 2011 SC 1123, with reference to which government resolution dated 12th July, 2011 has been issued, appears to have emerged from directions as contained in paragraph 22 thereunder, reading thus:
"22. Before parting with this case we give directions to all the State Governments in the country that they should prepare schemes for
eviction of illegal/unauthorized occupants of Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat/Poramboke/Shamlat land and these must be restored to the Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat for the common use of villagers of the village. For this purpose the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments/Union Territories in India are directed to do the needful, taking the help of other senior officers of the Governments. The said scheme should provide for the speedy eviction of such illegal occupant, after giving him a show cause notice and a brief hearing. Long duration of such illegal occupation or huge expenditure in making constructions thereon or political connections must not be treated as a justification for condoning this illegal act or for regularizing the illegal possession.
Regularization should only be permitted in exceptional cases e.g. where lease has been granted under some Government notification to landless labourers or members of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, or where there is already a school, dispensary or other public utility on the land."
9.
Government resolution dated 28th November, 1991, in clauses No.(1) and (4) of paragraph No.2 thereunder, read, thus:
" २. शशासककीय पड आणणि गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील णदिनाሪक - १ एणቚኌल १९७८ त १४ एणቚኌल १९९० यशा कशालशावधकीमिध्यत मिशागशासवगቇኍय आणणि इतर व्यक्तीሦनकी शततकीसशाठकी कतलतलकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करशावकीत णककवशा कसत हशा ቚኌ् शशासनशाच्यशा णवचशारशाधकीन हहोतशा. समिशाजशातकील गरकीब घटकाሪनशा चणरतशारቕኋचत सशाधन णमिळशावत यशा उदतशशानत सहशानुभकतकीपकव्ብक णवचशार करून शशासककीय पड आणणि गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील णदिनाሪक १ एणቚኌल १९७८ आणणि १४ एणቚኌल १९९० यशा कशालशावधकीमिध्यत मिशागशासवगቇኍय आणणि इतर भकणमिहकीन व्यक्तीሦचकी शततकीसशाठकी झशालतलकी व णदिनाሪक -१४ एणቚኌल १९९० रहोजकी अणसतत्वशात असलतलकी अणत्ቅमिणित मिहशारशाष्् जमिकीन मिहसकल सकणहतच्यशा (यशापनुढत "मिहसकल सकणहतशा" असशा उल्लतख करण्यशात आलतलशा आहत.) कलमि ४० च्यशा आणणि मिहशारशाष्् जमिकीन मिहसकल (सरकशारकी जणमिनकीचकी णवलतवशाट करणित) णनयमि, १९७१ च्यशा ( यशापनुढत "णनयमि" असशा उल्लतख करण्यशात आलतलशा आहत.) णनयमि ४३ च्यशा तरतनुदिीሦमिधकील आदितणशत अकशततः बदिल करून (पणरशल मिमॉणडणफिकतशन ) खशालकील शतቇኍ व अटीሦवर णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाचशा शशासनशानत धहोरणिशात्मिक णनणि्ብय घततलशा आहत.
(१) णदिनाሪक - १ एणቚኌल, १९७८ आणणि णदिनाሪक- १४ एणቚኌल १९९० यशा कशालशावधकीमिध्यत झशालतलकी व णदिनाሪक १४ एणቚኌल १९९० रहोजकी अणसतत्वशात असलतलकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशात यशावकीत. (२) .................
(३) ..................
(४) अणत्ቅमिणि करणिशाऱ्यशा ቚኌत्यतक व्यक्तकीचत जशासतकीत जशासत २ हतक्टर णजरशायत जमिकीन एवढत अणत्ቅमिणि णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशात यशावत." 10.
Government resolution dated 12th July, 2007, annexed to the petition, reads, thus:
"शशासन णनणि्ብय :
१) मिहशारशाष्् जमिकीन मिहसकल (सरकशारकी जणमिनकीचकी णवलतवशाट करणित) णनयमि, १९७१ मिधकील णनयमि ११(५) मिधकील शशासककीय जमिकीन णमिळण्यशाकरकीतशा वशाणर्ብक उत्पनशाचकी र.३५,०००/- णह मियቕኋदिशा मिहशारशाष््शातकील आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनकाሪकणरतशा र.१,००,०००/- इतककी वशाढणवण्यशात आलकी आहत. त्यशानुसशार सदिर णनयमिशात सनुधशारणिशा करण्यशात यतत आहत.
२) मिहशारशाष्् जमिकीन मिहसकल (सरकशारकी जणमिनकीचकी णवलतवशाट करणित) णनयमि १९७१ मिधकील णनयमि १२(2) (एक) अन्वयत आठ ककी.मिकी. णቔኌज्यतच्यशा आत वशासतव्य करणित आवश्यक असल्यशाचकी अट मिहशारशाष््शातकील आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनकाሪकणरतशा णशणरल करण्यशात यतत आहत. आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनक नतमिकन दितण्यशायहोग्य जणमिनकीच्यशा णजल्हशात णनवशास करकीत असतकील आणणि त्याሪच्यशा रणहवशासशाच्यशा तशालनुक्यशात शशासककीय जमिकीन वशाटपशास उपलब्ध नसतल तर त्याሪनशा त्यशा णजल्हशातकील जमिकीन णमिळण्यशास पशाቔኌ ठरणवण्यशात यशावत. आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनकाሪच्यशा कशायमि वशासतव्यशाचशा पनुरशावशा असलतल्यशा णजल्हशाच्यशा हदकीतकील शशासककीय जणमिनीሦचशा यशा सकदिभቕኋत णवचशार करण्यशात यतईल व पयቕኋयशानत वशासतव्यशाच्यशा णठकशाणिशापशासकन आठ ककी.मिकी. णቔኌज्यततकील शशासककीय जमिकीन णवतरणि करण्यशाचकी अट आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनकाሪच्यशा बशाबतकीत लशागक रशाहणिशार नशाहकी.
त्यशाቚኌमिशाणित सदिर णनयमिशात सनुधशारणिशा करण्यशात यतत आहत. ३) आजकी / मिशाजकी सैणनकाሪनशा शततकीकणरतशा शशासककीय जमिकीन दितण्यशासकदिभቕኋतकील णशणरल करण्यशात आलतल्यशा अटकी व शतቇኍकचशा लशाभ दितण्यशात यशावशा. मिहशारशाष्् जमिकीन मिहसकल (सरकशारकी जणमिनकीचकी णवलतवशाट करणित) णनयमि, १९७१ मिधकील सकबकणधत णनयमि ११(५) व णनयमि १२(२) (एक) मिध्यत सनुधशारणिशा करण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी सवतकቔኌपणित करण्यशात यतत आहत."
11.
Government circular dated 9th March, 2007, reads, thus:
" शशासन पणरपቔኌक :- शशासककीय पड / गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील णदि. १.४.१९७८ त णदि. १४.४.१९९० यशा कशालशावधकीत शततकीसशाठकी झशालतलकी व णदि. १४.४.१९९० रहोजकी अणसतत्वशात असलतलकी अणत्ቅमिणित शशासन णनणि्ብय णदि. २८.११.१९९१ व शशासन पणरपቔኌक णदि. २२.४.१९९२ मिधकील अटकी व शतቇኍ पकणि्ብ करकीत असलतल्यशा अणत्ቅमिणिदिशाराሪचकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाच्यशा सकचनशा णदि. १६.१२.१९९८ च्यशा शशासन णनणि्ብयशान्वयत दितण्यशात आलतल्यशा आहतत. तसतच शशासन पणरपቔኌक णदि. २३.३.१९९९ अन्वयत शशासककीय पड / गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील शततकीचकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी तशातडकीनत करण्यशाबशाबत सव्ብ णजलशाणधकशाऱ्याሪनशा कळणवण्यशात आलतलत हहोत. तरशाणप ቚኌत्यतक णजल्हशात उपरहोक्त कशालशावधकीमिधकील णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाबशाबतचकी बरकीच ቚኌकरणित अदशाणप ቚኌलकणबत असल्यशाचत लहोकቚኌणतणनधीሦनकी शशासनशाच्यशा णनदिश्ብनशास आणिलत आहत.
तसतच रशाज्यशातकील भटकत व णवमिनुक्त जशातकी अभ्यशास व सकशहोधन सणमितकीनतहकी यशा ቚኌकरणिकी सव्ብ णजलशाणधकशाऱ्याሪनशा अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाबशाबत सकचनशा दशाव्यशात, अशकी णशफिशारस कतलकी आहत. २. सकदिभቕኋधकीन शशासन णनणि्ብय ्ቅ.१ ቚኌमिशाणित शततकीचकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी णवणहत मिनुदितकीत पकणि्ብ करणित आवश्यक हहोत. तरशाणप ቚኌदिकीघ्ብ कशालशावधकी लहोटकनहकी यशाबशाबतच्यशा ቚኌकरणिाሪत अदशाणप णनणि्ብय घतण्यशात आलतलशा नशाहकी. कतቔኌकीय सतरशावर यशाबशाबत सकणनयकቔኌणि यहोग्य ቚኌकशारत हहोत नशाहकी, असत आढळकन आलत आहत. तव्हशा यशाबशाबत आतशा पनुन्हशा असत आदितश दितण्यशात यतत ककी, शशासन णनणि्ብय णदि. २८.११.१९९१ व शशासन णनणि्ብय णदि. २२.४.
१९९२ मिधकील अटकी व शतቇኍनुसशार शशासककीय पड / गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील शततकीचकी अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाबशाबतचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी अदशापहकी ቚኌलकणबत आहत, अशशा ቚኌकरणिकी खशास मिहोहकीमि कशाढकन तकीन मिणहन्यशाच्यशा आत पशाቔኌ अणत्ቅमिणित णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी सव्ብ णजलशाणधकशाऱ्याሪनकी अ्ቇ्ቅमिशानत करशावकी. तसतच सव्ብ णवभशागकीय आयनुक्ताሪनकी आपल्यशा णवभशागशातकील ቚኌलकणबत ቚኌकरणिशाबशाबत मिशाणसक बसैठककीत आढशावशा घतऊन त्यशाबशाबत पशाठपनुरशावशा करशावशा व कशाय्ብवशाहकी पकणि्ብ कतल्यशाचशा अहवशाल शशासनशास तशात्कशाळ पशाठवशावशा. शशासनशाच्यशा धहोरणिशानुसशार अपशाቔኌ ठरणिशारकी अणत्ቅमिणित तशात्कशाळ कशाढकन टशाकण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी वरकील मिनुदितकीत पकणि्ብ कतलकी जशाईल, यशाबशाबत दिकतशा घतण्यशात यशावकी.
पቔኌ ्ቅ. ६ मिध्यत नमिकदि कतलतल्यशा णववरणिपቔኌशात कतलतल्यशा कशाय्ብवशाहकीचशा अहवशाल शशासनशास तशात्कशाळ सशादिर करशावशा. "
12.
Observations of the Supreme Court have been appreciated in paragraph 7 of government resolution dated 12th July, 2011, reading thus: " ७. गशावकऱ्याሪच्यशा सशाव्ብजणनक वशापरशासशाठकी ्ቇशामिपकचशायतकीकडत णनणहत कतलतल्यशा जणमिनकी तसतच गशायरशान जणमिनकीवरकील अणत्ቅमिणिाሪबशाबत णसव्हकील अपकील ्ቅमिाሪक ११३२/२०११ @ एसएलपकी (सकी) ३१०९/२०११ जगपशाल णसकग व इतर णवर्ቍ पकजशाब रशाज्य व इतर यशा यशाणचकतवर मिशा. सवብኘच्च न्यशायशालयशानत णदि.२८/१/२०११ रहोजकी पनुढकीलቚኌमिशाणित णनरकीकणि नोሪदिणवलत आहत व आदितश णदिलत आहतत:- (१) शतकाሪपशासकन गशावशाच्यशा तशाब्यशात असलतल्यशा सशाव्ብजणनक वशापरशातकील जणमिनकी (common village land) व गशायरशान जणमिनकी गशावकऱ्याሪच्यशा णवणवध उपयहोगशात आहतत.
जसत गनुराሪनशा पशाणिकी णपण्यशासशाठकी, धनुण्यशासशाठकी तलशाव, हकगशामिशाचत धशान्य सशाठवणिनुककीसशाठकी जशागशा, पशाणिकदि रसत/ वणहवशाटकीचत रसत, पकीक मिळणिकीसशाठकी, मिनुलाሪनशा खतळण्यशासशाठकी, मिनहोरकजन, सक्ብस, रशामिलकीलशा इत्यशादिकीसशाठकी मिसैदिशान, बसैलगशाड्यशा सरशानक, जलसहोत, मिहोकळकी जशागशा व समिशशानभकमिकी, दिफिनभकमिकी इत्यशादिकी ቚኌयहोजनाሪसशाठकी गशावशाच्यशा तशाब्यशात हहोत्यशा. यशा जणमिनीሦचकी मिशालककी सरशाणनक कशायदशानुसशार शशासनशाकडत हहोतकी. शशासनशानत यशा जणमिनीሦचत व्ययसरशापन ्ቇशामिसभशा/्ቇशामिपकचशायतीሦकडत सहोपणवलत हहोत.
यशा जणमिनीሦचत सशाव्ብजणनक वशापरशासशाठकीच्यशा जणमिनकी म्हणिकन असलतलत सरशान अबशाणधत रशाखण्यशासशाठकी त्याሪनशा अहसताሪतरणिकीय (inalienable) वग्ብ दितण्यशात आलशा हहोतशा. असत असलत तरकी अपवशादिशात्मिक पणरणसरतकीत कशाहकी जमिकीन भकणमिहकीन शततमिजकर, अनुसकणचत जशातकी/ जमिशातकीच्यशा व्यक्तीሦनशा दितणित अनुजतय हहोत यशात शककशा नशाहकी. मिशाቔኌ हत अगदिकी अपवशादिशात्मिक पणरणसरतकीच करणित अपतणकत हहोत. गशावकऱ्याሪच्यशा सशाव्ብजणनक वशापरशाच्यशा हकाሪचत इतक्यशा आसरतनत सरककणि करण्यशात आलत हहोत ककी, कशाहकी कशायदाሪमिध्यत सप्ቖपणित नमिकदि करण्यशात आलत आहत ककी, यशा जणमिनीሦचकी मिशालककी शशासनशाकडत असलकी तरकी त्यशामिनुळत गशावकऱ्याሪचत सशाव्ብजणनक
हक न्ቖ हहोत नशाहकीत. मिशाቔኌ सवशातकቔኚयशानकतर समिशाजककटक लहोकाሪनकी बशाहकशक्तकी, धनशक्तकी व रशाजककीय शक्तकीदशारत मिहोठ्यशा ቚኌमिशाणिशावर सशाव्ብजणनक जणमिनकी हडप कतल्यशाचत आढळकन आलत आहत. ቚኌशशासनशाचत हततनुपनुरसर दिनुल्ብक व सरशाणनक शक्तीሦच्यशा सकगनमितशानत हत सशाध्य करण्यशात आलत आहत. सबब, रशाज्य शशासनाሪनकी शशासककीय गशायरशान / गनुरचरणि व ्ቇशामिसराሪच्यशा सशाव्ብजणनक सहोयकी-सनुणवधाሪसशाठकी असलतल्यशा जणमिनकीवरकील अणत्ቅमिणित तशात्कशाळ णनष्कशाणसत करून सशादिर जणमिनकी लहोकाሪच्यशा सशाव्ብजणनक उपयहोगशासशाठकी सकबकणधत ्ቇशामिपकचशायतकीकडत सनुपकदि्ብ करण्यशाबशाबत तशात्कशाळ कशाय्ብवशाहकी करण्यशासशाठकी णवशतर ककतकी कशाय्ብ्ቅमि तयशार करशावशा.
(२) यशा कशाय्ብ्ቅमिाሪतग्ብत सकबकणधत अणत्ቅमिणि धशारकाሪनशा कशारणित दिशाखवशा नहोटकीस दितऊन सकणकप्त सनुनशावणिकी घतण्यशात यतऊन त्वरतनत अपशाቔኌ अणत्ቅमिणित णनष्कशाणरत करण्यशाचकी कशाय्ብवशाहकी करशावकी.
(३).......................................... (४) ज्यशा ቚኌकरणिशात शशासनशाच्यशा णनणि्ብयशादशारत भकणमिहकीन शततमिजकर, अनुसकणचत जशातकी / जमिशातकीतकील व्यक्तकी इत्यशादिीሦचत अणत्ቅमिणि णनयमिशानुककल करण्यशाबशाबत यशापकवቇኍच णनणि्ብय घतण्यशात आलशा आहत, अशकी अणत्ቅमिणित तसतच शशाळशा, दिवशाखशानशा णककवशा इतर सशाव्ብजणनक ቚኌयहोजनशार्ብ बाሪधकशामि याሪचकी अगहोदिरच अणसतत्वशात असलतलकी अणत्ቅमिणित वगळण्यशात यशावकीत. "
13.
The circumstances, thus, are pointer to that having regard to position, since it is not the case on behalf of the respondents that the petitioner had not filed application as referred to in the petition, particularly on 18th March, 1982 and other on 6th September, 1992, it appears
that taking into account relevant circumstances, facts and taking into account observations in paragraph No.22 of the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Jagpal Singh and others vs. State of Punjab and others (supra), and taking into account government resolutions, circulars (supra), the concerned authorities shall decide the application filed by the petitioner, as early as possible, preferably within six months from the date of receipt of copy of this decision, by giving proper opportunity to the petitioner.
14.
Rule is made absolute accordingly. Writ petition is disposed of.
(S.M. GAVHANE, J.) [SUNIL P. DESHMUKH, J.] asb/AUG19