Karnataka High Court
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Hiriyur ... vs The State Of Karnataka on 2 November, 2009
Equivalent citations: 2010 (1) AIR KAR R 700, AIR 2010 (NOC) (SUPP) 929 (KAR.)
Author: Mohan Shantanagoudar
Bench: Mohan Shantanagoudar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE
DATED THIS THE 2ND DAY or NOVEMBER 2009 V.
!'RESENT
THE I-ION'BLE MR. P.D. DINAKARAN, E'
AND
THE HON'BLE MR. JBSTICE MDHAN'Vs1iANTA1szAr§oUDAE ''
WRIT PETITION No.6o91';'-E696 (éM-1§Es§z?Ii;§»"'
BETWEEN
1
KARNATAKA RAJYA RAITHA '
SANGHA HIRIYUR BRANc~H..'j '
HIRIYUR BRAIsz'EH",- -_ 1
BY ITS PRES'I.DEN_'I}_ - V
sUBRAMANYAM':'i;, 1.
S /0 KRIsIiNA1\4URjTHY--. "
AGED AEQUT 72 _YEARs,'_;
R /Q. ARANAKA'TTE, "
HIRIYUR TALU-K.'
" _ GHI:TE§ADEJRGA DISTRICT
% ~M VEERANNVA
. S-[0 RANQAPPA
'AGED ABQUT 55 YEARS
ALUR I-IIRIYUR TALUK
SECRETARY,
_ KARNA-"I.'AKA RAJY A RAITHA
SANGHA, I-IIRIYUR BRANCH
' V V 'C.E-IITRDURGA DISTRICT
_..7A U NARENDRA
S / 0 UGRANARASIMHAPPA
AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS
12/ PRESIDENT
YUVA RAITI-IA SANGHA
HIRIYUR BRANCH
CHITRADURGA DISTRICT
S RAMESI-I KUMAR
S / O PSIDDAPPA
AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS
ORGANIZING SECRETARY
KARNATAKA RAJYA RAITHA SANGHA A '_
I-IIRIYUR BRANCH
CHITRDURGA DISTRICT
GIRIYAPPA
S/O SIDDAPPA
AGE 50 YEARS , .
occ: AGRICULTURE ' «.
R /0 NAIVIBEHALLI ' ''
HIRIYUR TALUK H A
CH1TRADURGA'D1__STRICT" ' V. ;
vRA:§GASW'AMYV _ --
AGEDAAEOUVT 45.j1I..EARSA.EU_ '-
occ: AGRICULTURE. '
PRESIDENT _ ' _ " .
TALUKA PAR(_:HA.Y~ATH
HIRIYUP TALUK. U
V' . cH1*1*RAD URGA DIS'"{'RICT
A
' ._S/Q RANiACHANDRAPPA
AGED ABGUT 50 YEARS
OCC: AGRICULTURE
PRESIDENT
' RANGA-NATHPURA GRAMA
'» PAEUCHAYATH
HIRIYUR TALUK
'EHITRADURGA DISTRICT
m.%_Mv«~«\:
ACHUKATTU IN RESPECT OF' THOSE wHo HAVE NoT.'I?AI:I3-*IfIVIEI.'
LAND REVENUE 85 ETC. T " "
THIS WRIT PETITION COMING UP FoR~wRR:ELII}IIIIIcIR§f »
HEARING THIs DAY, THE COURT MADE-THE.FOi,LQWl'i*€G:--
0RDERdrV p
(Delivered by
The petitioners, who agrievu1':turis.ts,.arernehibers of
the Karnataka Rajya Raitha :iS_aI*iighLdv,::""Branch, Hiriyur
have preferred on behalf of the
members of éigricuitufists cultivating
the land unsler seeking the following
reliefs: V V 'V V i A
i) to directing the respondents to
Vd_e1Iotif3xIi if the......orders of forfeiture of lands to the _ Goxrerrfriaent in the area of Vaniviias Sagar Dam, A in respect of those who have not paid ~. revenue; and "ii issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to waive off the land revenue I-'afo1'esaid're1iefs...A should have recommended the Government to waive off the land revenue imposed on the lands in the area of Van-ivilas Sagar Darn, Achhukattu.
3.3. It is the further case of the peptitionersthiat lwithouctl 2 providing an opportunity to the :_p'agricl11lturi'sts',i respondents have initiated action_to_V.1eV3r'h1ige of L' revenue and to forfeit the land i":'the*..§}overnnienti?without following the procedure coliitenmlatled --_Sections 160 to 168 of the Karnataka I{and.A'Revenue..fs.ct,ii'; Q is "
3.4. Hence said action of respondent No.2, the.petitioiiers have approached this Court seeking the i circumstances of the case, it is apt to refer to Sections' to": 168 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act (for hereinafter referred to as "KLR Act") which deals with _''realisation of arrears of land revenue" read thus:
"I66. Arrear of Land revenue and defauIter.~w-(1) Any instalment of land revenue or part thereof which is not paid on the date prescribed for payment under section 159 shall become an arrear of land revenue and the person responsible for the payment shallpx-,p become a defaulter.
(2) A statement of account, certified by the l"
Commissioner or by the Assistant COH1IniSSlOflC.r.:Sha'§~1; . for the purpose of this Chapter be:v'conbclus_ive evidenced of the existence of the arrear of land:'.A_reyenue_;ofv its». amount and of the person who the defa'ulte1i:j A ' Provided that nothing _sub§s'-eetioii shall prejudice the rights of"'s.uch .pers'on; toirnake payment under protest and to eetness of the accounts in separate vypirooeiediiagsy hieforelythe Deputy Comrnissi0_nAer;o1tV the 'A_s'sistan_t Commissioner, as the case may be. A T V
161. Pr'ocessVfc._r rt-.cc'm*ery of arrears.----An arrear of land revenue may after serving a written notice of .deinand the defaulter under section 162 be "'ifecotzered one or more of the following "pr0cesses';p:--naIr1ely:w--
hula} "----hy"forfeiture of the occupancy or alienated Apholdingpin respect of which the arrear is due, under ,section 163;
(b) by distraint and sale of the defaulter's moveable "property including the produce of the land under section 164;
{c} by attachment and sale of the defaulter's immoveable property under sections 165 to 168;
(d) in the case of alienated holdings consisting entire villages or shares of villages, by attachrneintief the said villages or shares of villag_es..and takiiig--,t_rlefn under Government management, under sections"--.I83..,,_,, f to 187.
162. Notice of demand.;--{.,i"}'~~._A n§'t1c¢'o£:¢1e£h;;Liid' may be issued on or after 'fc)u1low.in'g.V1;}A1.r,LV1A;vV3on which the arrear becarn,e..':pay;.§Lble.. "
{2} The form and contents of demand, the cost recoverable for ..fro'mwthe defaulter as an arrear of revenue, andjthe officers by whom such :'noticesVVVshV3;l.1_» they 'is.suve_d--shall be such as may be prescribed,' M L if
163. Forfeiture A"v_oif"*°ioccupancy or alienated ho:-i1ing.--{I) ffahsildar may declare the occupancy if 'o,rVi"alie'natec'i«holding in respect of which an arrear of due, to be forfeited to the State 'Governm'enj_t..5and sell or otherwise dispose of the same un'der"---thepirovisions of sections 8'? and 88 and credit A, the pro.c'eeds, if any, to the defaulter's account:
V.,'_fA>";*ovided that the Tahsildar shall not declare any Vtsuch occupancy or alienated holding to be forfeited,----
(a) unless previously thereto he shall have issued a proclamation and written notices of the intended declaration in the manner prescribed under secti'on"._.°g 168 for effecting sales of immoveable property: and
(b) until after the expiration of at least fiftcerfdays « from the latest date on which anyvhof the ..said~1no.tic-es shall have been published as presci'ibe'd_luir1der* sectvicwn" if A
168.
Provided further that notiyithstanding contained in sub--section jg section '$7, "the Tahsildar shall not declare 'occupancy or alienated holding» t9"""sof' rorf¢ite';i'*_ State Government,s_"\yli;ere the a'r1'"ears' of":land..:reVenue due, does not eiiiceeti. ' (2).-WiberlyanyI:;occui§>ancy'*or..._aiienated holding is declared ._forfe'iteVd._underi_is11b«section (1), the Tahsildar may, before such or alienated holding is sold or otherwise disposed of, cancel the declaration of forfieituife, if theydefaulter or any person interested in or alienated holding pays the entire *a.rrearL._of.. 1iand--revenue due and all expenses incurred "s.o"»far iii1i--'V."the'o:=recovery proceedings as may be fixed by the sildiar.
AA Distraint and sale of moveable property.---~(1) Tahsildar may cause the defaulter's moveable fgproperty to be distrained and sold. Such distraint and "sale shall be made by such officers or class of officers 5; "
E0 in such manner and in accordance with suchfilll procedure as may be prescribed.
(2) Nothing in sub--section (1) shall be deeloded i"
authorise the distraint or sale of any property « under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1iQU8.v, his from attachment or sale in execution of a decree' or of " "
any article kept exclusively fori_re]._igiou's~.usc.V A A i
165. Attachment V 'and gsaie' imrnoveable property.~»-~When the 'l'ahsildar that the processes referred to ins-c1:au.ses(.:_1) of section 161 are inexpedierit insu.fi"1cien'tl--:for_._the recovery of an arrear,;'heli';nay'v;'l1lin.Vaddition"7to:or'instead of any of these:.:proces'si5;s. immoyeable property of the defaulter to be .attached 'sold.
16$; " Attachment lhoxlav to be made.-----(1) The i it éattachrnenltypof imirioyeiable property under section £65 ' shall be an order prohibiting the defaulter .fro.ra or charging the property in any way arid 'persons from taking any benefit from such trarisfeifior charge.
l '~ i:{2}'~--The order under sub-section (1) shall be proclaimed at some place on or adjacent to such property by beat _;lof drum or other customary mode and a copy of the order shall be afiixed on a conspicuous part of the 'A, M' 5 1 xx 4,/ E2 empowered in this behalf, shall issue such notices proclamations, in such form and in such manner.«and..'"e-if containing such particulars as may be prescribe'd," '*-if cause such notices and proclamations to be _ in such manner as may be prescribed. i if p V f (2) A copy of every notice or proclamation,issuedftinder if * sub«-section (1) shall be served*on"~the defaulter.
4.2. That apart, Section 1.f)5ofi«'*.Karnatal{a Land Revenue Act provides the forfeiture of occupancy certain may pay land revenue thusg;
105if1'd at :forfe_ilti2re ' of occupancy certain persons "other tfian. ftxcciupant may pay land reve,11ue.------(l") _IpVnVordei*. toiiprevent the forfeiture of an occupancy under"th.e___provisions of Section 87, or of any . other law the time being in force through non- la"nd.~~revenue due on account thereof by the be lawful for any person interested to V pay" oriirabehalf of such occupant, all sums due on account. of land revenue and the Tahsildar shall, on due " tender thereof, receive the same.
V (2) If it appears to the Tahsildar that an occupant or V' " "holder has failed to pay land revenue due and has thus incurred forfeiture with a View to injure or defraud, 13 other persons interested in the continuance of the occupancy or holding, or that a sale of the occupancy or holding, will seriously prejudice such other persons interested, the Tahsildar may order the forfeiture of only"? the interest of the defaulting occupant or holder and sell or dispose of the same:
Provided that the other persons interested . to pay any balance that may still remain'duelafter_:such sale or disposal of only the defaulter's?'_'_in'terest occupancy or holding and furnis'h__sufil"ic.i,elnt sec:ulrit3T,for the performance of such undertaitilnigt. V l if (3) Nothing authorised o'r._done<'u'ridi_er the proyisions of this section shall affect thevfighttphthe°p¢ties_interested as the,vilslarneet any suit between such parties in Vlcopfnpletent jurisdiction."
4.3.r.utthef,._12u1es "112, 118 to 120 of the Karnataka Rnles, also deals with the procedure to befollowec,l.li;f..defa1.1lt is made on account of nonpayment of land reVen1;e'and it read thus:
..D.-elrnand how made: (1) The Village Accountant "--"_shall"A_~issue a notice of demand under subsection (1) of __ Section 162 in Fonn 37.
"*(2) If the person liable to pay, fails to pay the amount due within seven days of the Demand notice under sub- 14 rule (1), the Village Accountant shall make a report to the Deputy Commissioner and if the Deputy Commissioner so directs the Village Accountant shall destrain the defaulter's moveable property which may be brought to sale by the Revenue Inspector after wide publicity for such sale.
117. Procedure to be followed if default . the case of unenfranchised service in'a1':1.s'::(1-3' Ina;:iis_V'"' land for village service, revenue or po'1ice;._ or forireligiyoug» C' or charitable purposes shall*not._V be declared Vfoiiifeiteyd and sold, but the Deputy Commiissioner shall oiceeid to realize the demand V against""the" holders C by the attachments and sale "cf p --their*;,iper'so:n.Aal and other movable propertyV...eV_ V ('2) in t13.e.'c:as_e"of'>.unenfranchised holding on which arrears mayo due', the Deputy Commissioner may; the eveatpiof his failing to recover the arrear by .fl"the"sale"iof the defaulter's personal or other immovable property,:_l'i obtain the sanction of the Divisional cem;nie"si%5_ner~y;;'te the holding being declared forfeited and~..resu'me,d'.
118, The tenure of enfranchise alienated inams not
-,t'o«._b:e extinguished by forfeiture: In the case of an enfranchised alienated holding which has been declared it miorfeited for the purpose of sale under Section 163, such forfeiture shall not operate so as to extinguish the tenure on which the alienation was originally made and--'"--. the property shall be sold as alienated property conveyed as such to the purchaser:
Provided that if at such auction the property i purchased on account of the Government, the Commissioner shall cause the land, comp:'ised_ 'inlthe holding to be entered in the*records._ae unoccupied if unalienated land.
119. Restoration of forfeitedjloceilpaneyy'or alienated holding on payment of arresfi-:l¢iu_e:rvl:l. (1) The Deputy Crommiss'io'ner:"émayjjestore"any forfeited occupancy of': has been purchased ibn o£p':~'.t1fi'e.__Qovernmer1t and which has not been'dvisposed'ojfbtlzerwise within three years from thedatel of Vforifeiturei"'o.nv.--~payment of the arrear in respect oflliwhichlltheeforfeiture was incurred together withfithe. amount of land revenue in respect of the lll"-holding--f"froi1n the "date of forfeiture to the date of ieestorpatitori the expenses incurred so far in the recoyery'a'ndf.urther proceedings as may be forced by the'~Dep__utyCommissioner.
(2) During a period of not more than six months from A [_'~ the" date of commencement of Karnataka Land Revenue l"{A"n1elndment) Rules, 2004 the Deputy Commissioner if .v __may, notwithstanding the expiry of the period specified in sub--rule (1) restore any forfeited occupancy or if .. .
I6 alienated holding which has been purchased on account of the Government dues and which has not disposed of otherwise, to the person who has not;'oeenu__i__i' dispossessed otherwise, to the person who has ntitbeeni 0'00 dispossessed of such occupancy or holding 11:1'me'<i1i;ag:eiy. , before such commencement, on pajgmentoiojf in respect of which the forfeiture was'vini(:1irred together?' with the amount of land reveriue 1r1i"respe_cti._V of§_jt1'1e.. holding from the date of forfe'itiireu to 2 date} of restoration and expenses 'incurred_ "in the recovery and further proceedings as the Deputy Commissioner.
Provided the proviisionsri sub--ruIe not apply respecpt of:fiAa}i.er1ateipada~{EieeIu) land forfeited by Government. '. ,o A' * I20. Proce.d11reii ini'._éffe.eting sale of immovable prop_erty.: (1) Every sale of immovable property shall be i"made.s31ib_§e'ct.«to themsame rule as are applicable to the _ saieof unocciipied unalienated lands." hctlgh notice was directed in the above writ Ap'etitio.n.'as""'ear1y as on 206-2006, the learned Government Aevteate' appearing for the respondents is not in a position to whether the impugned lands are sold pursuant to the .idistraint/ forfeiture order dated 16.2.2006. The Government r' _' x";
5. .. 3., .K\ aw} Advocate is also not in a position to submit before thi.sd_€1oL1.rt Whether the procedure contemplated under Sect_ir{ns' . :67 of the KLR Act read with Rules 112mand 1};'i"'t'o.:1v2l3':ovfthe = KLR Rules have been duly complied iivithg"F1f1rtl3erl,l not in a position to submit whether the'v.actuai'V:duan.tun1 of arrears of land revenue due in respect_of_Vlandsirnpugned has been duly communicated the or whether an opportunity was given toiethernp before' an order of distraint/forfeiture ' it 4.2. The _ for the petitioners further submits thateven if 'there distraint / forfeiture order for nonwpayr;-jient. of revenue, the entire lands cannot be vlforfeitedxlbut:the"«order of distraint/ forfeiture can only be in proportion to7'Lh§"3'l.l.<:j;1'u"antum of arrears of land revenue due in respect the lands. On the other hand, the learned counsel petitioners agrees that petitioners would pay the entire a.ri1fearsi'of land revenue with interest, if required under law. E8 5.1. It is settled law that the distraint/ forfeiture order can be made only to the extent of land revenue arr_e4ars's-daze 3 and if the petitioners come forward to K , revenue arrears, their possession has to4'o«e"«restoriedu.._ "I'he7 said proposition is supported byythe «following:.deoision*s this Court:
(i) Nagappa Gowd-ii¢_""~v. 1954 Mysore 39); and 'A it I .
(ii) Zaheerayv Bai G.Kamath (1995.55) ij;. i 5.2. Gurupadappa (AIR 1954
Mysore 39), thiis~Cvou1jtV-.hia--si olinserved thus:
1'i1€.iI't3'vr. A. fort;eit'u1*ei of land followed by the ' ,.resto'rationi"to the defaulting "holder" does not H ii'oi"1t.__all"the earlier rights and equities that may };:e's1.ihsisting as between private parties." In Zaheera Banu Kareem v. Gomathi Bai (1996 (5) Kar.L.J. 354}, the Division Bench of this " --«fdourt has held thus: