Adhunik Power And Natural Resources ... vs The State Of Jharkhand Through The ... on 28 February, 2023
In the case of I.T.C. Ltd. vs. State of Bihar & Ors., reported in
1994(1) BLJR 1988, it has, inter alia been held that a fair and
equitable rent has to be determined in terms of the provisions of the
Bihar Land Reforms Act and not in terms of the directives issued by
the State of Bihar from time to time under the Khas Mahal Manual.
In the said judgment it has also been held that the circular dated
21.5.1983 applies only the management of Khas mahal land. The
aforementioned judgment of the Division Bench in the case referred
to above was delivered and it was held that the aforementioned
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circular applies only to Khas mahal estates and therefore, it cannot
be said that in relation to fixation of rent in all other lands, the
provisions of Bihar Land Reforms Act must necessarily be taken into
consideration. In other words, all that is necessary, is that the
respondents must necessarily act fairly and reasonably in matters
relating to fixation of rent. So far as charging of salami in the
present case is concerned, the same cannot be sustained inasmuch
as there is no provision nor the respondents have brought any such
provision on record to satisfy this Court, that they had the right or
that they had the authority to fix salami of Rs.1,72,500/-."
The judgment passed by this Court while interpreting the circular
dated 21.05.1983 has been pleased to hold that there cannot be any
imposition of salami or commercial rent on the basis of the Bihar
Government Estates (Khas Mahal) Manual, 1953 and therefore, the fixation
of commercial rent on the basis of the aforesaid circular dated 21.05.1983
has been held to be without jurisdiction.