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2005 DIGILAW 388 (KAR)

R. SHESHADRI v. STATE OF KARNATAKA

2005-06-22

D.V.SHYLENDRA KUMAR

body2005
( 1 ) THIS is a proceeding brought before this Court under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, in respect of certain action taken by the revenue authorities purporting to be in exercise of their powers under section 109 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 (for short, 'the act' ). ( 2 ) PETITIONER and the 5th respondent are at logger heads in respect of certain agricultural land in Sy. Nos. 206/12 and 206/13 with regard to the extent or with regard to the extent which each person possess actually and are before the Civil Court for determination of their inter se rights. In the interregnum it is claimed that the revenue authorities while exercising their powers under Section 109 of the Act had taken some action, which according to the petitioner was without notice to the petitioner and therefore the petitioner thought it fit to challenge that in an appeal before the Joint Director of Land Records. That appeal having been allowed and the matter remanded, which was not to the liking of the 5th respondent, a further appeal was preferred to the Karnataka appellate Tribunal. The Tribunal while allowing the appeal has observed that as the Assistant Director of Land Records, was justified in taking action in sub-dividing the survey number acting on a registered sale deed and that if there were disputes between the parties, they should have it resolved in the Civil Court rather than trying to settle such disputes before the Revenue Authorities and in this view of the matter while setting aside the remand order of the Joint Director of survey and Settlement, Bangalore, confirmed the action taken by the assistant Director of Land Records sub-dividing the survey number. It is aggrieved by this order of the Appellate Tribunal the present writ petition. ( 3 ) SUBMISSION of Sri Udaya Holla, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner has been pre-empted of putting forth his version of the case before the authorities that as the order has been passed behind his back; that the order is not sustainable; that there was no occasion for the Tribunal to have interfered with the order of the joint Director, which was only for according opportunity to the parties and therefore the order of the Tribunal deserves to be quashed. ( 4 ) SRI M. R. Raja Gopal, learned Counsel who has entered appearance through Caveator on behalf of the 5th respondent submits that it was not as though the proceedings of the Assistant Director had been conducted at the behest of one or the other party; that the Assistant director had taken action in accordance with law and on noticing the transaction in terms of a registered sale deed which transaction he had to take note as per the statutory requirement and there was no occasion for the Assistant Director to have issued notice to other persons particularly to the petitioner, who if at all was claiming under a prior agreement for sale; that whereas the 5th respondent is a person who in fact has purchased the land as evidenced in the registered sale transaction and therefore the order passed by the Joint Director setting aside the order of the Assistant Director was totally unwarranted not correct and if the Tribunal in the appeal filed by the 5th respondent has only clarified and passed suitable order, no occasion for this Court to interfere with such an order. ( 5 ) THE real dispute between the parties as it transpires is as to who is entitled for the land in question, particularly the claim that in respect of the very extent of land, he having a prior agreement of sale executed in his favour by the original owner, whereas the 5th respondent is claiming that such land in fact has been purchased; that the 5th respondent is a bona fide purchaser for valuable consideration etc. ( 6 ) IN a proceeding under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, rights of parties inter se are not determined particularly in respect of claims to property rights. In fact this is not even the scope of the proceeding under Section 109 of the Act either. A mere sub-division of survey number by itself can neither confer title nor bestow right or interest nor can affect existing rights of the parties if otherwise such rights are recognised in law. In fact this is not even the scope of the proceeding under Section 109 of the Act either. A mere sub-division of survey number by itself can neither confer title nor bestow right or interest nor can affect existing rights of the parties if otherwise such rights are recognised in law. A sub-division effected by the revenue authorities in exercise of power under Section 109 is principally for the purpose of identifying the persons responsible for payment of land revenue in respect of the extent of land and the survey number assigned to it It is not for the purpose of determining the inter se rights of the parties. The revenue authorities act upon an undisputed transaction when a person in whose name the survey number stand and in respect of the area as indicated in the revenue records, transfers some part of the land to some other person by any mode, necessitating sub-division in the sense two numbers are to be assigned thereafter, so that depending on the extent so transferred the authorities under the Act can fix and indicate the proportionate tax or land revenue that is required to be paid by the respective person. When such is the proceedings the apprehension that the rights of the petitioner are affected is more imaginary than real. When the orders by themselves are so inconsequential in respect of disputes between the parties, there is no occasion for this Court to examine the contentions of the writ petitioner, with regard to the merits of such orders. However, parties are at liberty to work out their rights before the Civil Court whereupon all other entries in the revenue records should fall in line with such determination. ( 7 ) EXCEPT for this observation and liberty for such purpose, this writ petition is dismissed. --- *** --- .