BABASAHEB BALWANTRAO BAWANE. vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & OTHERS.

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Date of Judgment: 03-09-2011

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      IN  THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY 
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
  WRIT PETITION NO. 1813 OF 1993
Babasaheb s/o Balwant Bawane,died 
through his legal heirs :
1. Shakuntalabai w/o Babasaheb Bawane,
Age: Major, Occ:  Household,
2. Rajkumar s/o Babasaheb Bawane,
Age: Major, Occ: Agri.,
Both r/o. Girwali, Tq. Ambajogai,
Dist. Beed.
3. Sheela w/o Prakashrao Deshmukh,
Age: Major, Occ: Household.,
4. Vaijayantimala w/o Rameshrao
Deshmukh, Age: Major,
Occ: Household,
5. Shobha w/o Ashokrao Bhosale,
Age: Major, Occ: Household.,
6. Rekha w/o Shivajirao Deshmukh,
Age: Major, Occ: Household.,
Nos. 3 to 6 R/o Parli­Vaijinath,
District Beed.
7. Asha w/o Ajitrao Ghatge,
Age: Major, Occ: Household,
R/o. 101, Malkhare Residency,
Vidya Nagar, Aurangabad.        ...APPELLANTS
VERSUS
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1. The State of Maharashtra. 
2. Addl. Divisional Commissioner,
Aurangabad Division,
Aurangabad.
3. Chairman,
Surplus Land Determination
Tribunal  Ambajogai.             ...RESPONDENTS 
          
                     ...
Ms. Vanita H. Sangole, Advocate h/f
Smt. M.A. Kulkarni, Advocate for petitioners.
Mr. K.B. Choudhary, A.G.P. for respondents.
                     ...
                          CORAM:  S.S. SHINDE, J.
                         DATE :  9TH MARCH, 2011 
ORAL JUDGMENT :
The   writ   petition   is   filed   challenging 
order   dated   25­02­1993   passed   by   the   Additional 
Divisional   Commissioner,   Aurangabad   Division, 
Aurangabad at Exhibit­E to the petition.
2. The petitioner is a resident of Girwali 
(Bawani).   The petitioner filed his return under 
Section 12 of the Maharashtra Agriculture (Ceiling 
on Holdings ) Act, 1961 (For short, "Said Act") to 
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respondent   No.3   Surplus   Land   Determination 
Tribunal   (For   short,   "S.L.D.T.").     Respondent 
No. 3 by order dated 30­01­1976 assessed holding 
of the petitioner as 108 acres and 8 gunthas and 
declared the petitioner as surplus to the extent 
of   16   Acres   32   Gunthas   excluding   an   area   of   5 
acres of Potkharaba and benefit of 3 members u/s.6 
of the said Act was given to the petitioner.   In 
pursuance   of   the   said   order,   the   land   of   the 
petitioner   was   distributed   and   possession   was 
handed   over   to   the   allottees.     To   that   effect, 
panchnama was also prepared.
3. It   is   the   case   of   the   petitioner   that 
respondent   No.   2   Additional   Divisional 
Commissioner, Aurangabad Division, Aurangabad (For 
short,   "Additional   Commissioner")   reopened   the 
case,   by   issuing   notice   for   suo   moto   revision 
under   Section   45(2)   of   the   said   Act   and   order 
dated   08­12­1980   remanded   the   matter   back   to 
respondent No. 3 for fresh inquiry.
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After remand, respondent No. 3 by order 
dated   30­03­1983   maintained   the   previous   order 
dated   30­01­1976   maintaining   that   the   petitioner 
is   surplus   holder   to   the   extent   of   16   acres   32 
gunthas.
4. Thereafter, on 01­12­1992 the petitioner 
received   notice   from   the   Additional   Commissioner 
for suo moto inquiry under Section 45(2) of the 
said Act.   The petitioner herein appeared before 
respondent   No.2   and   submitted   his   objections 
contending therein that suo moto revision is not 
maintainable.     By   order   dated   25­02­1993   the 
Additional   Commissioner   set   aside   order   of   the 
S.L.D.T.   passed   on   30­03­1983   and   remanded   the 
case   to   the   S.L.D.T.   for   declaring   holder   as 
additional   surplus   land   holder   for   15   acres   30 
gunthas   after   giving   holder   of   opportunity   of 
being   heard.     Said   order   is   under   challenge   in 
this petition.
5. Learned   Counsel   for   the   petitioner 
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submitted   that,   said   order   impugned   in   this 
petition was passed by respondent No.2 after lapse 
of   period   of   nine   years   from   the   second   order 
passed   by   the   S.L.D.T.   on   30­03­1983.     It   is 
further submitted that, the mandate of provisions 
of sub section 2 of Section 45 of the said Act, 
has   not   been   followed   by   the   Additional 
Commissioner.     According   to   learned   Counsel   for 
the petitioner, once having been exercised powers 
of suo moto revision by respondent No.2, it was 
not open for respondent No.2 to reopen the case 
again   issue   notice   for   suo   moto   inquiry   after 
lapse   of   period   of   nine   years   from   order   dated 
30­03­1983 passed by the S.L.D.T.   It is further 
submitted that, order impugned in this petition is 
passed   by   the   Additional   Commissioner   without 
calling   record   from   the   S.L.D.T.   or   without 
application of mind, therefore, said order cannot 
be sustained.   Learned Counsel further submitted 
that,   point   raised   in   this   petition   is   no   more 
res­integra     and   answered   by   this   Court   by 
authoritative pronouncements in various judgments, 
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therefore,   Counsel   would   submit   that,   this 
petition may be allowed.
6. On the other hand, learned A.G.P. for the 
State   submitted   that,   order   passed   by   the 
Additional Commissioner is with conscious mind and 
after perusing the record, therefore, this Court 
may not interfere in the impugned order.
7. I   have   given   due   consideration   to   the 
rival submissions.   Perused the pleadings in the 
petition   and   also   annexures   thereto   and   record 
made available for perusal.  It is not in dispute 
that   the   S.L.D.T.   on   30­01­1976   after   following 
proper   procedure   has   passed   order   declaring   the 
petitioner   surplus   holder   to   the   extent   of   16 
acres 32 gunthas.  It is also not in dispute that 
no   appeal   is   preferred   by   the   petitioner 
challenging   the   said   order   of   the   S.L.D.T. 
Surplus land to the extent of 16 acres 32 gunthas 
was distributed and allotted by the Government.  
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From   the   perusal   of   the   record,   it 
appears that respondent No.2 opened inquiry by way 
of provisions under Section 45(2) of the said Act 
by order dated 08­12­1980.  In fact, this opening 
of   the   inquiry   itself   was   not   within   period   of 
three   years   from   the   date   of   order   dated 
30­01­1976   passed   by   the   S.L.D.T.     By   the   said 
order, Additional Commissioner remanded the matter 
back   to   the   S.L.D.T.     The   S.L.D.T.   again   after 
proper inquiry passed order on 30­03­1983, thereby 
maintaining   its   earlier   order   dated   30­01­1976. 
Therefore,   I   find   considerable   force   in   the 
argument of the learned Counsel for the petitioner 
that   there   was   no   occasion     for   the   Additional 
Commissioner to invoke provisions of Section 45(2) 
of   the   said   Act,   second   time.   In   fact,   it   is 
admitted   position   that   once   power   was   exercised 
and   thereafter   also   S.L.D.T.   did   maintain   its 
earlier as back as in 1983.   It is also admitted 
position   that   for   the   first   time   notice   of   suo 
moto   inquiry   in   second   round   was   issued   by   the 
Additional   Commissioner   on   01­12­1992.     Even   if 
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second order of the S.L.D.T. dated 30­03­1983 is 
taken   into   consideration,   the   issuance   of   the 
notice for suo moto inquiry on 01­12­1992 by the 
Additional     Commissioner   is   beyond   statutory 
period of limitation.
8. From the perusal of the record, it does 
not appear that the said order was passed by the 
Additional   Commissioner   with   conscious   mind   by 
calling   record   from   the   S.L.D.T.   and   therefore, 
notice   issued   by   the   Additional   Commissioner   on 
01­12­1992   was   after   9   years   from   the   date   of 
S.L.D.T. and after 16 years from the first order 
of   the   S.L.D.T.   dated   30­03­1976.     Therefore, 
notice issued by the Additional Commissioner for 
suo   moto   inquiry   and   order   impugned   in   this 
petition dated 25­02­1993 passed by the Additional 
Commissioner   was   beyond   statutory   period,   hence 
cannot be sustained.  Therefore, same deserves to 
be set aside.
9. This   Court   had   occasion   to   interpret 
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provisions of Section 45 (2) of the said Act, in 
the following decisions:
In   the   case   of   Manohar   Ramchandra 
Manapure   &   Others   V/s.   State   of   Maharashtra   & 
Another, 1989 Mh.L.J.1011,  the Full Bench of this 
Court held that the proviso to section 45 (2) of 
the   Maharashtra   Agriculture   Lands   (Ceiling   on 
Holdings)   Act,   restricts   the   exercise   of 
jurisdiction   under   section   45(2)   to   those   cases 
where the record is called for within the period 
of   3   years   from   the   date   of   declaration   under 
section 21.   The starting point of limitation as 
prescribed   in   the   proviso   to   sub­section   (2)   of 
Section   45   is   the   declaration   or   part   thereof 
under   section   21   of   the   Act.     Calling   of   the 
record   cannot   be   equated   with   the   mechanical, 
clerical   or   ministerial   act   of   calling   for   the 
record for all the proceedings irrespective of the 
fact   whether   they   were   required   or   not   for   the 
purpose specified in the section.   It is further 
held that it is after applying his mind that the 
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revisional   authority   will   have   to   call   for   the 
record   of   the   enquiry   or   proceedings   after 
conscious   application   of   mind   to   the   facts   and 
circumstances of each case.  Where admittedly the 
necessary application of mind on the part of the 
Commissioner was much beyond the period of 3 years 
of   the   order   impugned,   it   will   have   to   be   held 
that the records were not called within the period 
of 3 years.  In such a case the Commissioner will 
have   no   power   to   exercise   the   revisional 
jurisdiction.
Yet   in   another   decision   in   the   case   of 
Bansilal   Ramgopal   Bhattad   V/s.   State   of 
Maharashtra   and   Other,   2001   (1)   Mh.L.J.68 ,   this 
Court held that suo motu proceedings for revision 
having   been   initiated   almost   after   9   years   from 
the   date   of   decision   of   S.L.D.T.,   could   not   be 
permitted   in   law.     Suo   motu   proceedings   in 
question having been initiated after unreasonable 
period were without authority of law and void ab 
initio in view of the decision of the Apex Court 
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in  1997 (6) SCC 71.
Yet   in   another   reported   case   of  
Lotan 
Fakira Patil V/s. State of Maharashtra and Others, 
2002 (2) Mh.L.J.255,   this Court in the facts of 
the case held notice under Section 45 (2) of the 
Act for suo­motu revision was issued on 25.03.1982 
and not within the period of three years from the 
date of order of the S.L.D.T. dated 03.07.1978 and 
therefore   the   exercise   of   powers   under   the   said 
provisions was beyond the period of limitation and 
therefore was without jurisdiction.
Yet   in   another   case   of   Champabai   w/o. 
Shankarrao   Patwari   and   Another   V/s.   State   of 
Maharashtra and Other, 2004 (1) Mh.L.J.148 , this 
Court held that the first proviso to sub­section 
(2) of section 45 of the Maharashtra Agricultural 
Lands   (Ceiling   on   Holdings)   Act,   1961   lays   down 
two conditions which are required to be satisfied 
before the State Government or its delegate could 
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invoke   the   revisional   powers.     The   said   two 
conditions   are   :   (a)   that,   appeal   has   not   been 
filed   against   the   order/declaration   made   by 
S.L.D.T.   within   the   prescribed   period,   and   (b) 
that, a period of 3 years has not elapsed from the 
date of the order or declaration made by S.L.D.T. 
In the facts of that case the Court held that the 
decision   to   initiate   the   proceedings   was   taken 
within   three   years   time.     However,   same   was 
without application of mind and hence held to be 
bad in law.   It is further held that the actual 
initiation   of   proceedings   was   after   a   lapse   of 
about 8 to 10 years from the date of decision to 
initiate the proceedings.  This delay was totally 
unexplained.     Therefore,   taking   overall   view   of 
the matter, the Court held that where the notice 
came   to   be   issued   to   the   petitioner   by   the 
Additional Commissioner, after lapse of period of 
8–10   years,   after   passing   orders   by   S.L.D.T., 
holding that the petitioners did not hold land in 
excess of ceiling limit are bad in law.  
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Yet in another case of   Shalikram Dagduba 
Solunke   etc.   V/s.   State   of   Maharashtra   and 
Another,   2004   (1)   Mah.L.R.   310,   this   Court   held 
that exercise of revisional powers by Additional 
Commissioner after 10 to 15 years from the date of 
order of S.L.D.T., is beyond the statutory period 
and also passed in mechanical manner and same is 
liable to be set aside.  
Yet   in   another   judgment   in   Gowardhandas 
s/o.   Laxmandas   deceased   through   his   L.R. 
Vijaykumar   s/o.   Gowardhandas   V/s.   State   of 
this 
Maharashtra and another, 2008 (6) Mh.L.J.571, 
Court held that in suo­motu revision by Additional 
Commissioner, memorandum regarding revision issued 
on 30.11.1978 after declaration under section 21 
on   08.11.1976   but   no   notice   was   issued   to   the 
petitioner   till   1992,   the   order   passed   by   the 
Additional   Commissioner   on   30.03.1993   is   beyond 
limitation prescribed under section 45 (2) of the 
said Act .
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10. Therefore,   in   the   light   of   discussion 
hereinabove   and   in   the   light   of   authoritative 
pronouncements   of   this   Court   cited   supra,   in   my 
opinion,   impugned   judgment   and   order   cannot   be 
sustained and hence, cannot be sustained and same 
is quashed and set aside.
11. Writ Petition is allowed and disposed of.
12. Rule made absolute, in above terms.
                                  sd/­
                             [ S.S. SHINDE, J.] 
sut/Mar11/wp1813.93
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