Collector directed to decide Section 165(6) land sale permission application within a prescribed time limit.

The petitioner, a resident of District Surguja, filed an application on 16.01.2023 before the Collector, Ambikapur (Respondent No. 3), seeking permission to sell rehabilitation land under the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code, 1959

The application, registered as Proceeding No. 202302021700025, has remained pending for over a year despite the completion of requisite legal formalities and reports

The petitioner cited urgent financial needs, specifically the medical condition of his mother and his children's higher education expenses, as grounds for an expedited decision

The petitioner previously filed WPC No. 1407/2026, which was withdrawn with liberty to file this better-constituted petition

1. Whether the Court should issue a writ of mandamus directing the Collector to decide the pending application for the sale of rehabilitation land within a specific timeline

The court primarily applied Section 165(6) of the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code, 1959, which governs the restrictions and requisite permissions from the Collector regarding the transfer of land held by certain classes of holders or under specific conditions, such as rehabilitation land

The court also exercised its discretionary power under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to ensure the timely performance of statutory duties by public authorities

The court observed that the petitioner’s application under Section 165(6) had been pending since early 2023

It noted that the State, represented by the Deputy Government Advocate, did not oppose a direction for an expedited resolution in accordance with the law

Considering the prolonged delay and the personal exigencies cited by the petitioner, the court determined that a time-bound direction was necessary to ensure administrative efficiency and provide the petitioner with legal certainty regarding his property rights

The Court directed the Collector, Ambikapur (Respondent No. 3), to consider and decide the petitioner’s application (Proceeding No. 202302021700025) strictly in accordance with the law within 60 days from the date of receipt of the order