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2021 DIGILAW 843 (MP)

Hradesh Kumar v. Mithlesh Kumar

2021-12-23

RAJEEV KUMAR SHRIVASTAVA

body2021
ORDER 1. The present miscellaneous petition has been preferred under article 227 of the Constitution of India, against the order dated 23.10.2019 passed in Case No.562/15- 16/Appeal by the Additional Commissioner, Gwalior (Annexure P/1), order dated 5.5.2016 passed in Case No. 85/2014-15/Appeal by the Sub-Divisional Officer, Dabra District Gwalior (Annexure P/2) and order dated 16.4.2015 passed in Case No. 238/14-15/B-121 by the Tahsildar Dabra, District Gwalior (Annexure P/3). 2. The brief facts of the case are that the respondent No.1 Mithlesh Kumar filed an application before the Tahsildar requested to short out the road of 20x12 feet from survey no. 674 min 4, 675 min 9, 676 min 2, 699 min 13, 700 min 13, 700 min 11, 711 min 51, 717 min 52, 701 min 7, 711 min 10 situated in village Ramgarh by converting the aforesaid land plot area into road. On account of that, Tahsildar asked the Patwari report wherein it was submitted that for the convenience of the purchaser of the lands the aforementioned area be declared as road as the father of Mithlesh Kumar namely Keshav Dayal sold out the aforesaid lands on 26.12.1992. After including the aforementioned land, no any space was available for other co-owners to use as road. The petitioner is coowner of the land and was necessary party. Despite Tahsildar overlooked the aforesaid facts and passed the impugned order dated 16.4.2015 without giving notice to the present petitioner. It is also submitted that opportunity of hearing was not given to the present petitioner while considering the aforesaid order based on evidence recorded of Awadhesh Dwivedi and Brajesh. The witnesses misrepresented the facts before the Tashsildar despite the impugned order has been passed which is absolutely illegal and incorrect. Accordingly, the order passed by SDO and Additional Commissioner, Gwalior are also illegal and incorrect. Along with the petition copy of the application filed by Mithlesh Kumar before the Tahsildar has been produced i.e. Annexure P/4 dated 29.10.2014, copy of order of Tahsildar dated 3.11.2014 is annexed as Annexure P/5, Patwari report is Annexure P/6. The statement of Gulab Devi is Annexure P/7 and the statement of Awadesh Dwivedi is annexed as Annexure P/8. Being aggrieved by the aforesaid impugned order, this petition has been preferred. 3. The statement of Gulab Devi is Annexure P/7 and the statement of Awadesh Dwivedi is annexed as Annexure P/8. Being aggrieved by the aforesaid impugned order, this petition has been preferred. 3. The grounds raised by the petitioner in this petition are that the order impugned as well the order of SDO and Additional Commissioner are patently illegal and without jurisdiction, therefore, deserve to be quashed. Under the provisions of section 131 of MPLRC the Tahsildar has only power to reopen the approach road which has been closed by the villagers but have no right to construct a new road, herein the case the Tahsildar not only created a new road but also approved the creation of new road by deleting the area of said road from the survey number. The respondent Mithlesh Kumar had suppressed the facts that the present petitioner is his brother and cosharer. Without the knowledge/information of petitioner his brother Mithlesh Kumar got created/mutated the aforesaid road, therefore, the courts below order deserves to be quashed. As the petitioner was the co-sharer to the aforesaid lands, therefore, without his consent no land could be converted into a road. The courts below have wrongly marshalled the statements of Gulab Devi and Awadesh Dwivedi and have violated the principles of natural justice by depriving the petitioner from his right of hearing. The land was illegally sold out as was of joint ownership and this fact had not been considered. Hence, the present petition has been filed. 4. Learned counsel for the respondent No.1 has opposed the same and has submitted that the petitioner has no authority to raise objection as the land in dispute had already been sold out by petitioner and respondent No.1 in the year 1981 & 1982 purchased the aforesaid land from their father Keshav Dayal in 1980. It is further submitted that Tahsildar had issued notices against the relevant parties and by considering the Patwari report rightly disposed off the application filed before it. It is further submitted that the order passed by the Tahsildar has been affirmed by SDO Dabra, District Gwalior and thereafter the same has been affirmed by the Additional Commissioner Gwalior. As there is no merits in this case and proper opportunity of hearing was given, therefore, no case is made out. Hence, prayed for dismissal of the present petition. 5. As there is no merits in this case and proper opportunity of hearing was given, therefore, no case is made out. Hence, prayed for dismissal of the present petition. 5. Heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the available record. 6. On perusal of the record, it is apparent that order dated 16.4.2015 passed by the Tahsildar in case No.238/14-15/B-121 has been affirmed by the SDO Dabra, District Gwalior by its order dated 5.5.2016 in Case No.85/2014-15/Appeal and thereafter the order passed by the SDO has also been affirmed by Additional Commissioner by order dated 23.10.2019 in Case No.562/15-16/Appeal. Section 131 of MPLRC runs as under :-- "Rights of way and other private easements:-- (1) In the event of a dispute arising as to the route by which a cultivator shall have access to his fields or to the waste or pasture lands of the village, otherwise than by the recognised roads, paths or common land, including those roads and paths recorded in the village Wajib-ul-Arz prepared under Section 242 or as to the source from or course by which he may avail himself of water, a Tehsildar may, after local enquiry, decide the matter with reference to the previous custom in each case and with due regard to the convenience of all the parties concerned; (2) No order passed under this section shall debar any person from establishing such rights of easement as he may claim by a civil suit." 7. In the present case while passing the impugned order Tahsildar had called the Patwari report (inquiry report) and had passed the order impugned by following the process mentioned in MPLRC, thereby the Tahsildar has exercised his jurisdiction vested in him under section 131 of MPLRC and he had recognized the road only. He has neither created new road nor constructed any road. Therefore, the order passed is well within the four corners of section 131 of MPLRC. Hence, the petition, being devoid of merits is hereby rejected.