Karnataka High Court
The Taluka Panchyath vs The State Of Karnataka on 14 December, 2021
Author: P.S.Dinesh Kumar
Bench: P.S.Dinesh Kumar
R
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 14TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2021
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE P.S.DINESH KUMAR
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE P. KRISHNA BHAT
WRIT APPEAL NO. 343/2010(KLR-RR-SUR)
C/W
WRIT APPEAL NO. 3902/2010(KLR-RR-SUR)
IN WA .343/2010:
BETWEEN:
THE TALUKA PANCHYATH
CHAMARAJNAGAR
BY ITS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CHAMARAJNAGAR TALUK & DISTRICT
... APPELLANT
(BY SRI. ASHOK N NAYAK, ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY ITS SECRETARY TO REVENUE DEPARTMENT
M.S.BUILDING,
B.R.AMBEDKAR ROAD
BANGALORE 1
2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
CHAMARAJNAGAR
3. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
KOLLEGAL SUB DIVISION
KOLLEGAL
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT
2
4. THE TASHILDAR
CHAMARAJNAGAR TALUK
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
CHAMARAJNAGAR
SRI C S PURUSHOTHAM
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LRS
5. SMT RUKMINI C P
AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS
W/O LATE C S PURUSHOTHAM
(SINCE DEAD RESPONDENT NO.8 IS TREATED
AS HER LR's VIDE COURT ORDER 13.09.2021)
6. SRI C P SURESH KUMAR
AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS
S/O LATE C S PURUSHOTHAM
7. SRI C P KARUNAKAR
AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS
S/O LATE C S PURUSHOTHAM
(RESPONDENT 5 TO 7 ALL ARE
R/A #6/41,
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
CHAMARAJNAGAR-571313
8. SRI C P LAKSHMIKANTHA
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
(AS PER ORDER DATED 03.02.2017)
8(a) SMT. PADMA
MAJOR
W/O LATE C.P. LAKSHMIKANTHA
'PADMA NILAYA'
NEAR SEETHA RAMA KALYANA MANTAPA
SANJEEVININAGAR,
MUDLAPALYA, NAGARBHAVI,
BENGALURU-72
(AS PER THE COURT ORDER DATED 13.9.2021
3
RESPONDENT NO.5 LR OF DECEASED R8)
9. SMT. C.P. DEVI,
AGED 32 YEARS,
W/O SRIKANTHA,
R/AT #20-6-90,
TEACHERS COLONY,
HINDUPURU,
ANDHRA PRADESH-515202
ALSO AT #6/41,
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET
CHAMARAJNAGAR 571313
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
10. SRI S RAMAMURTHY
AGED ABOUT 74 YEARS
S/O LATE C V SRINIVASAN
R/A 501, EWS, DD BLOCK,
1ST STAGE, BANNIMANTAP
HUDCO, MYSORE 575015
11. SRI DWARAKANATH
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
(AS PER ORDER DATED 09.01.2019)
11(a) SMT. GEETHA
W/O LATE C.S. DWARAKANATH
AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS
R/A #77, LIG HOUSE
HOUSING BOARD COLONY
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
CHAMARAJNAGAR-571313
11(b) C.D. HARISH KUMAR
S/O LATE C.S. DWARAKANATH
MAJOR
11(c) C.D. NAVEEN KUMAR
S/O LATE C.S. DWARAKANATH
MAJOR
4
11(d) SMT NANDINI PRIYA
W/O SRI RAGHAVENDRA,
D/O LATE C.S. DWARAKANATH
MAJOR
11(a) TO (d) ALL ARE R/AT NO.77
LIG HOUSE,
HOUSING BOARD COLONY,
CHAMARAJANAGAR-571313
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT.
12. SRI C S KRISHNAMURTHY
AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS
S/O LATE C V SRINIVASAN
R/A # 24, MIG,
SHARADADEVI NAGAR
MYSORE-570022
13. SRI C S CHANDRASHEKAR
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
(AS PER ORDER DATED 13.09.2021)
13(a) SMT. RENUKA
W/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS
13(b) SMT. NAMITHA
D/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
MAJOR
13(c) Ms. SHALINI
D/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
MAJOR
13(a) TO (c) ALL ARE RESIDING AT
SRINIVASA NILAYA,
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET,
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT,
CHAMARAJANAGAR-571313.
14. SRI C S VENKATESHWARA
AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS
S/O LATE C V SRINIVASAN
5
R/A # 28/3, 3RD CROSS
SREERAMPUR
BANGALORE 560021
15. SMT SHARADAMMA
(ALSO AN HEIR OF C S PURUSHOTHAM)
AGED ABOUT 86 YEARS
W/O LATE C V. SRINIVASAN
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT
CHAMARAJNAGAR-571313
(SINCE DEAD REPRESENTED BY HER LR's
RESPONDENT NO. 5 TO 7,
RESPONDENT 7 TO 14,
AND RESPONDENT NO. 16 TO 19,
VIDE ORDER DATED 13.09.2021)
16. SMT GAYATHRI
AGED ABOUT 72 YEARS
W/O LATE P SUBBAIAH
R/A 465, 7TH C MAIN
KALYANA NAGARA
HRBR LAYOUT
BANGALORE-560028
17. SMT PADMA
W/O LATE H.A. SESHAGIRI
AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS
RESIDING AT 37, LIG HOUSE
HOUSING BOARD COLONY
CHAMARAJNAGAR-571313
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT.
18. SMT SUDHA
AGED ABOUT 66 YEARS
W/O LATE D PURUSHOTHAM
R/A # 1, EWS
AGRAHARA DASARAHALLI, II STAGE
BASAVESHWARA NAGAR
BANGALORE 560079
19. SMT VEDAVALLI
AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS
6
W/O H A JANARDHAN
R/A # 165, A 19TH MAIN ROAD
4TH CROSS, II STAGE
VIJAYANAGAR
MYSORE 570017
... RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. MAHADESHWARAN C.N., AGA FOR R1-R4
VIDE ORDER DATED 9.1.2019, SERVICE OF
NOTICE TO R8(a) IS HELD SUFFICIENT;
SRI.G.R. ANANTHARAM, ADVOCATE FOR
RESPONDENTS 5,6,7,9, 10, 11(a)-11(d), 12,
13(a)-13(c), 14, 16-19;
VIDE COURT ORDER DATED 13.09.2021,
R5 TO 7,9 TO 14 AND 16 TO 19 ARE TREATED
AS LR's OF DECEASED R15)
THIS WRIT APPEAL FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA
HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER
PASSED IN THE WRIT PETITION NO.16438/2007 DATED
26/02/2009.
IN WA .3902/2010:
BETWEEN:
1. STATE OF KARNATAKA
BY ITS SECRETARY TO THE
REVENUE DEPARTMENT,
M.S.BUILDING,
DR.AMBEDKAR ROAD,
BANGALORE-560001
2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT,
CHAMARAJNAGAR.
3. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
KOLLEGAL SUB DIVISION,
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT.
4. THE TAHSILDAR
7
CHAMARAJNAGAR TALUK,
CHAMARAJNAGAR DISTRICT,
CHAMARAJNAGAR.
... APPELLANTS
(BY SRI. MAHADESHWARAN C.N., AGA)
AND:
1. C S PURUSHOTHAM
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LRS
(a) SMT.RUKMINI C.P.
50 YEARS
W/O LATE.C.S.PURUSHOTHAM
(b) SRI C P SURESH KUMAR
33 YEARS
S/O LATE.C.S.PURUSHOTHAM
(c) SRI C P KARUNAKAR
30 YEARS
S/O LATE.C.S.PURUSHOTHAM
1(a) TO (c) ARE ALL RESIDING AT
NO.6/41,KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET,
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT-571313.
(d) SRI C P LAKSHMIKANTHA
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
1(a) WHO IS ALREADY ON RECORD AND
1(f) SMT. PADMA
(e) SMT C P DEVI
26 YEARS
W/O SRIKANTHA
R/AT.20-6-90,
TEACHERS COLONY,HINDUPUR,
ANDHRA PRADESH-515202.
8
1(e) ALSO AT NO.6/41,
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET,
CHANARAJANAGAR DISTRICT-13.
(f) SMT. PADMA
W/O C.P. LAKSHMIKANTHA
MAJOR
'PADMA NILAYA'
NEAR SEETHARAMA KALYANA MANTAPA
SANJEEVININAGARA
MUDALAPALYA, NAGARABHAVI
BANGALORE-560072.
2. SRI S RAMAMURTHY
60 YEARS
S/O LATE.C V SRINIVASAN
R/AT.501,EWS,D.D.BLOCK,
HUDCO,MYSORE-570015.
3. SRI DWARAKANATH
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
(a) SMT. GEETHA
MAJOR
W/O LATE SRI. DWARAKANATH
(b) SRI. C.D. HARISHKUMAR
MAJOR,
S/O LATE SRI.DWARAKANATH
(c) SRI.C.D. NAVEEN KUMAR
MAJOR,
S/O LATE SRI.DWARAKANATH
(d) SMT. NANDINI PRIYA
MAJOR,
D/O LATE SRI. DWARAKANATH
RESPONDENTS 3(a) TO (d) ARE
RESIDING AT NO.77,
LIG HOUSE,
HOUSING BOARD COLONY,
9
CHAMARAJANAGAR-571313.
4. SRI C S KRISHNAMURTHY
52 YEARS
S/O LATE.C.V.SRINIVASAN
R/AT.NO.24,MIG,
SHARADADEVI NAGAR,
MYSORE-570022.
5. SRI C S CHANDRASHEKAR
SINCE DECEASED BY HIS LR's
(a) SMT. RENUKA
MAJOR,
W/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
(b) Ms. NAMITHA
MAJOR,
D/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
(c) SRI.C.P. KARUNAKAR
MAJOR
S/O LATE C.S. CHANDRASHEKAR
RESPONDENTS 5(a) TO (c) ARE
R/AT.6/41,
KALAMMA TEMPLE STREET,
CHAMARAJANAGAR-571313
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT.
6. SRI C S VENKATESHWARA
45 YEARS
S/O LATE.C.V.SRINIVASAN
R/AT.28/3, 3RD CROSS,
SREERAMPURA,
BENGALURU-21.
7. SMT SHARADAMMA
SINCE DECEASED BY HER LR's
RESPONDENTS 1(a) TO (c)
2 TO 6 AND 8 TO 11 WHO ARE
ALREADY ON RECORD AS LEGAL HEIRS
10
8. SMT GAYATHRI
58 YEARS
W/O LATE.P.SUBBAIAH
R/AT.465,7TH 'C' MAIN,
KALYANA NAGAR,
H.R.B.R.LAYOUT,
BENGALURU.
9. SMT PADMA
37 YEARS
W/O H.A. SHESHAGIRI
R/AT.37,LIG HOUSE,
HOUSING BOARD COLONY,
CHAMARAJANAGAR-571313
CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT.
10. SMT SUDHA
54 YEARS
W/O LATE D PURUSHOTHAM
R/AT.1 EWS AGRAHARA DASARAHALLI
2ND STAGE,BASAVESHWARA NAGAR,
BANGALORE-560079.
11. SMT VEDAVALLI
50 YEARS
W/O H.A.JANARDHAN
R/AT.165,'A' 19TH MAIN,
4TH CROSS, 2ND STAGE,
VIJAYANAGAR,
MYSORE-570017.
... RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. G.R. ANANTHARAM, ADVOCATE FOR R1(a),
R1(b), R1(c), R1(d), R1(e), R2, R3(a-d),
R4, R5(a-c), R6 TO R11
VIDE ORDER DATED 09.12.15, TREATING
NOS. R1(a) TO (c), R2 TO R6, R8 & R11
AS LR's OF DECEASED R7.
THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED U/S 4 OF THE
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE
11
ORDER PASSED IN THE WRIT PETITION
NO.16438/2007(KLR-RR/SUR) DATED 26/02/2009.
THESE WRIT APPEALS HAVING BEEN HEARD
THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCING/PHYSICAL HEARING AND
RESERVED ON 21.09.2021, COMING ON THROUGH VIDEO
CONFERENCING/PHYSICAL HEARING FOR
PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT THIS DAY, KRISHNA
BHAT J., PRONOUNCED THE FOLLOWING:
JUDGMENT
The short question that arises for consideration before us in these appeals is whether the power under Section 25 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 (for short, the 'Act') is available to be exercised by the Deputy Commissioner when there is no enquiry/revenue proceedings pending before him for adjudication and whether after an Order has been passed in a revision petition under Section 136(3) of the Act, can he exercise power under Section 25 of the Act for annulling such an Order?
2. These intra-court appeals are filed by the State of Karnataka and the Taluk Panchayat, Chamarajanagara, calling in question, the Order dated 26.02.2009 passed in W.P. No.16438/2007 (KLR-RR/SUR) by an Hon'ble Single 12 Judge of this Court allowing the writ petition and directing the appellants herein to make entries of the names of respondents/petitioners in the writ petition, in the record of rights by way of inheritance khata in respect of lands bearing Sy.No.458 measuring 3 acres 35 guntas and Sy.No.459 measuring 3 acres 15 guntas in Chamarajanagara, Kasaba Hobli, Chamarajanagara Taluk.
3. The facts in so far as the same are necessary for deciding these appeals are concerned lie in a short compass. There is no dispute about the fact that one Sri. C.V. Srinivasan, father of Sri. C.S. Purushotham (one of the petitioners in W.P. No.16438/2007) was the original owner of the two items of lands in dispute in these proceedings, namely, 3 acres and 35 guntas in Sy. No.458 and 3 acres and 15 guntas in Sy.No.459 of Chamarajanagara, Kasaba Hobli, Chamarajanagara Taluk, having purchased them from one Sri K.T. Somaiah by a registered sale deed dated 24.08.1949 who in turn had earlier purchased them from one Sri A.E.Morris on 14.07.1947. There is also no dispute about the fact that after late C.V. Srinivasan purchased the land, RTC entries 13 were made in his name on 12.03.1964 as per proceedings in MR 388/64-65 dated 12.03.1964. On finding out subsequently that name of late C.V. Srinivasan was abruptly deleted by the Revenue Authorities and the name of vendor of Srinivasan's vendor Sri A.E. Morris was re- entered in the revenue records, now deceased C.V. Purushotham and others initiated proceedings for getting their names re-entered in the revenue records (RTC) by way of inheritance khata.
4. It is not necessary to refer in great detail to the tortuous course taken by the revenue proceedings and suffice it to state that by an Order dated 22.11.2006, the Deputy Commissioner, Chamarajanagara District, sitting as a Revenue Court, passed an Order in R.A. No.10/2006-07 (Annexure-A to the writ petition), which is to the following effect:
"DzÉñÀ j«d£ï CfðAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¥ÀÄgÀ¸ÀÌj¹zÉ. PÉƼÉîÃUÁ® G¥À«¨sÁUÁ¢üPÁjUÀ¼À ¥Àæ²ßvÀ DzÉñÀ ¸ÀA.DgïJ:122:04-05 ¢.27.02.2006 C£ÀÄß gÀzÀÄÝ ¥Àr¹zÉ. DzÉñÀ ¸ÀA.JADgï:388:64-65 ¢:12.03.1964gÀ°è SÁvÉ §zÀ¯ÁªÀuÉ ªÀiÁqÀ®Ä DzÉò¹gÀĪÀAvÉ Dgï.n.¹.UÀ¼À°è £ÀªÀÄÆ¢¸À®Ä ¤zÉÃð²¹zÉ. ¨sÀƸÁé¢üãÀªÁVgÀĪÀ d«ÄäUÉ ¤AiÀĪÀÄzÀ jÃvÁå 14 ¸ÀA§AzsÀ¥ÀlÖ E¯ÁSɬÄAzÀ ¨sÀƸÁé¢üãÀ ¥Àæ¸ÁÛªÀ£É ¥ÀqÉzÀÄ ªÀÄÄA¢£À PÀæªÀĪÀ»¸À®Ä ¸ÀºÁ ¸ÀÆa¹zÉ."
5. The above Order shows that learned Deputy Commissioner, sitting as a Revenue Court, in exercise of power under Section 136(3) of the Act has found that removal of name of late C.V. Srinivasan from the revenue records was illegal, unauthorised and in violation of law and therefore he had ordered restoration of the names of the petitioners before him in the revenue records in respect of two items of lands as per the earlier Order dated 12.03.1964 and further directed his subordinate officials to put up the file for initiating acquisition proceedings obviously on account of the fact that various Government Offices had come up in the two items of lands in violation of the proprietary rights of the petitioners before him over the said lands.
6. Subsequently, a successor Deputy Commissioner to the one who had passed the Order dated 22.11.2006 (Annexure-A to the writ petition) purporting to exercise power under Section 25 of the Act passed another Order dated 20.06.2007 annulling the Order dated 15 22.11.2006 proceeding to reject the revision petition filed by the writ petitioners in R.A.No.10/2006-07. It is the latter Order of the Deputy Commissioner dated 20.06.2007 that was called in question before the Hon'ble Single Judge in W.P.No.16438/2007 and by the impugned Order dated 26.02.2009, writ petition came to be allowed and Order dated 20.06.2007 (Annexure-B) was quashed with directions as indicated above.
7. There is no dispute about the fact that the Order dated 22.11.2006 (Annexure-A to the writ petition) came to be passed allowing the revision application filed under Section 136(3) of the Act by the writ petitioners before the Deputy Commissioner. None of the appellants herein had chosen to challenge the said order before the competent Authority / Court. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the said Order (Annexure-A) had become final. However, in purported exercise of the power under Section 25 of the Act, learned Deputy Commissioner (Sri K. Vishwanatha Reddy, IAS) took up R.A. No.10/2006-07, over which he had become functus officio and issued notice 16 to the parties and thereafter passed the Order, the relevant portion of which reads as follows:
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By the above Order he has set at naught the earlier Order of his predecessor dated 22.11.2006 and he has restored the Order of the Assistant Commissioner, Kollegal dated 27.02.2006.
8. The question, therefore, now is, whether in exercise of the power under Section 25 of the Act, learned Deputy Commissioner could have reviewed the earlier Order of his predecessor referred to hereinabove.
9. For adjudicating the above question it is necessary to make a reference to Section 24 and 25 of the Act:
"24. Revenue Officers to be Revenue Courts. - A Revenue Officer, not below the rank of a Tahasildar while exercising power under this Act, or any other law for the time being in force, to inquire into or to decide any question arising, for determination between the State Government and any 19 person or between parties to any proceedings, shall be a Revenue Court.
25. Saving of inherent powers of a Revenue Court.- Nothing in this Act, shall be deemed to limit or otherwise affect the inherent power of the Revenue Court to make such orders as may be necessary for the ends of justice or to prevent the abuse of the process of the Revenue Court."
10. The conjoint reading of the above makes it abundantly clear that the power under Section 25 of the Act is available to be exercised only by the 'Revenue Court' and not by individual Revenue Officers. It is true that Revenue Courts are constituted by Revenue Officers not below the rank of a Tahsildar which means and includes the Deputy Commissioner as well. However it is also clear from the above that a Revenue Officer not below the rank of a Tahsildar can constitute a Revenue Court only under the following circumstances:
(i) The Revenue Officer in question not below the rank of a Tahsildar should be exercising power under the Act or any other law for the time being in force;20
(ii) Such power as he is exercising must be for the purpose of inquiring into or to decide any question arising in any proceedings;
(iii) Exercising such power must be for the determination of any question between the State Government and any person or between parties to any proceedings.
11. It is only when all the above ingredients are satisfied can the Revenue Officer constitute himself as a 'Revenue Court'. In other words, merely because a Revenue Officer holds an Office not inferior in rank to that of a Tahsildar, he cannot constitute himself as a Revenue Court. It is therefore axiomatic that under Section 25 of the Act, inherent powers in the purported exercise of which the impugned Order (Annexure-B) has been passed could not have been passed by the Deputy Commissioner as there was no proceeding pending before him for inquiry and therefore, he could not, in law, be a 'Revenue Court'. Having passed the earlier Order dated 22.11.2006 vide Annexure-A, he had become functus officio in relation to the proceedings in RA 10/2006-07. By placing reliance on a 21 decision reported in ILR 1981 KAR 1309 (SIDDESHWAR YUVAK MANDAL BY ITS CHAIRMAN vs. STATE AND ANOTHER), an Hon'ble Single Judge of this Court in MALAPRABHA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA reported in ILR 1990 KAR 1730, has observed as follows:
"13. It follows therefore that where a Revenue Officer not below the rank of a Tahsildar enquires into a dispute or adjudicates any right between the State Government and parties, he becomes a Revenue Court; while so functioning as Revenue Court, he can exercise inherent powers as contemplated under Section 25. If no proceedings are pending under Section 24 before the Revenue Officer, he does not become a Revenue Court to exercise inherent power under Section 25. Section 25 is similar to Section 151 C.P.C. which is available to the Courts. Every Revenue Officer per se is not entitled to exercise the power under Section 25 unless he functions, as a Revenue Court in respect of any proceeding. In the instant case, the Deputy Commissioner did not have any proceeding before him regarding which he was holding enquiry as contemplated under Section 24. Therefore it is obvious that he could not have invoked the inherent powers given to the (Revenue Court. Section 25 has no independent existence (available to Revenue Officer to invoke it as and when he likes. In this context, learned single Judge of this Court in SIDDESHWAR YUVAK MANDAL v. STATE) OF KARNATAKA AND ORS., has observed that Section 25 of the Land Revenue Act is in pari-materia with Section 151 of the C.P.C. and the power of that Section cannot be used to assume jurisdiction which the Court does not otherwise possess.22
Therefore the impugned order cannot be sustained under Section 25 of the Land Revenue Act."
We respectfully agree with the above interpretation of the power under Section 25 of the Act.
12. In that view of the matter, there is absolutely no error or illegality in the impugned Order passed by the Hon'ble Single Judge and accordingly there is no merit in these appeals and they are liable to be dismissed. Hence we pass the following:
ORDER The Writ Appeal No.343/2010 along with connected case namely, Writ Appeal No.3902/2010 are devoid of merits and accordingly, both the appeals are dismissed.
No Costs.
Sd/-
JUDGE Sd/-
JUDGE sac*