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1976 DIGILAW 142 (BOM)

Vijaysingh Narayan Borawate v. State of Maharashtra and another

1976-08-05

R.K.JOSHI, V.S.DESHPANDE

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JUDGMENT - V.S. DESHPANDE, J.:---Special Deputy Collector, Land Ceilings, by his order dated 2nd October, 1972, declared petitioner No. 1 surplus-holder to the extent of 61 acres 25 gunthas (covered from 27 acres 25 gunthas). The petitioner himself did not prefer any appeal against this order. However, in exercise of his revisional powers the Commissioner, Poona Division, held inquiry in his holding suo motu and by an order dated 12-11-1975 declared him surplus holder to the extent of 87 acres 1 guntha. Validity of this order is challenged in this Special Civil Application under Article 226 of the Constitution. The only contention advanced by Dr. Naik, the learned Advocate appearing for the petitioner, is that the lands survey Nos. 90, 152/1 and 217 situate at Rahata and survey Nos. 94/2 and 103 situate at Ekrukhe have been wrongly classified as irrigated lands under section 2(5)(b) of the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961. One Yeshwant Dhangale, the constituted attorney of the petitioner has filed an affidavit dated 31st July, 1976, before us in support of this contention saying that the lands do not fall within the command area as assumed. It appears that such a plea was not raised in the Original Special Civil Application. Therefore, an application for amendment was made and we allowed the petitioner to so amend the petition by introducing para 23-A to the above effect. Of these five lands, the Deputy Collector also had treated three lands i.e. lands Nos. 90, 217, 94/2 as irrigated lands attracting the provisions of section 2(5)(b)(ii) of the Act. In para 3 of his order the Deputy Collector refers to the 7/12 extracts and found that these three lands are perennially irrigated by a well situated within irrigable command of an irrigated project constructed by the Government. The Commissioner also refers to pages 205-B, 205-C, 205-D and 303 respectively and also the extracts of irrigation demand statement and the report furnished by the Talathi as also 7/12 extracts and confirmed the said finding. Dr. Naik, however, contends that there is no evidence on record to support these conclusions of the Deputy Collector and the Commissioner. Unfortunately the record and proceedings are not before us today. No attempt was made by the petitioner to enforce the production of these records, if at all he wanted to rely on these submissions. Dr. Dr. Naik, however, contends that there is no evidence on record to support these conclusions of the Deputy Collector and the Commissioner. Unfortunately the record and proceedings are not before us today. No attempt was made by the petitioner to enforce the production of these records, if at all he wanted to rely on these submissions. Dr. Naik also could not show anything from his papers to indicate that extracts of the record of right relied on by both the Courts below do not support the observations and by both of them in support of their conclusion. It is true that the order of the Commissioner indicate that lack of such material also was made as the basis of the attack on this finding. The affidavit of Yeshwant adverted to earlier avers that the Commissioner has taken fresh evidence on record and on the basis of which he has reached a conclusion that the aforesaid walls fall within the irrigation command of a cannal. It is not clear from the affidavit why the extracts of the record of rights relied on by the Deputy Collector and the Commissioner cannot be sufficient for reaching this conclusion. Affidavit of Yeshwant also does not indicate which part of the evidence was admitted at the revisional stage. The order of the Commissioner does not show that any additional evidence was taken by him. In fact, specific reference are made to the pages of the records, which in the context, has reference to the records of the Deputy Collector. The same Commissioner has passed another order on the same day in the other matter giving rise to Special Civil Application No. 42 of 1976. The Commissioner has specifically referred to getting reports during the pendency of the revision petition, when it was found that the some material was lacking to show whether the wells in the lands were actually under the command area or not. The contention raised by Dr. Naik with regard, at any rate, to these three lands, does not appear to us to be well founded and its accordingly rejected. The Commissioner also has included some area from lands in Survey No. 142/1A of Rahata and 103 of Ekrukhe, as if they are irrigated lands attracting the provisions of section 2(5)(b) of the Act. Naik with regard, at any rate, to these three lands, does not appear to us to be well founded and its accordingly rejected. The Commissioner also has included some area from lands in Survey No. 142/1A of Rahata and 103 of Ekrukhe, as if they are irrigated lands attracting the provisions of section 2(5)(b) of the Act. The Deputy Collector has treated these lands as being covered by Class D. The order of the Commissioner does not indicate who he thought of taking a different view in the matter. He, no doubt, refers to the same documents as also the report of the Talathi. In the absence of the records before us, we are unable to meet the contention of Dr. Naik that these lands actually do not bare out what the Commissioner has observed. The circumstance that the Deputy Collector has upheld the claim of the petitioner fortifies, the contention of Dr. Naik. We think it proper to remand the case to the Commissioner to examine the matter and find out how Survey No. 142/1A situate at Rahata and 103 situate at Ekrukhe can be classified as lands covered by section 2(5)(b) and not by section 2(5)(d). To this extent the rule deserves to be made absolute. Dr. Naik then contends that the Commissioner has not made clear whether the land measuring 20 acres 22 gunthas from these five pieces of the lands classified under section 2(5)(b) are inclusive of 16 acres treated by the Deputy Collector as class 5(b) lands in para 3 of his order from survey Nos. 217 and 90 of Rahata and survey No. 94/2 of Ekrukhe or whether the Commissioner wanted to add these 20 acres and 22 gunthas to 16 acres already classified by the Deputy Collector as irrigated land attracting the provisions of section 2(5)(b). We must confess that this ambiguity does exist. We would, therefore, make it clear that no fresh inquiry is necessary in regard to the 16 acres of land covered by the order of the Deputy Collector, as far as lands survey Nos. 217 and 90 of village Rahata and Survey No. 94/2 of village Ekrukhe are concerned. We must confess that this ambiguity does exist. We would, therefore, make it clear that no fresh inquiry is necessary in regard to the 16 acres of land covered by the order of the Deputy Collector, as far as lands survey Nos. 217 and 90 of village Rahata and Survey No. 94/2 of village Ekrukhe are concerned. If, however, 20 acres and 22 gunthas sought to be added by the Commissioner from these five pieces of the land is in addition to 16 acres as classified by the Deputy Collectors order, the Commissioner shall have to record his finding about the applicability of section 2(5)(b) of the Act, to this entire land of 20 acres 22 gunthas. Rule accordingly made absolute. In the circumstances of the case, there will be no order as to costs. -----