01766708f447df301fdec7f1835663262592dfeea9d63d7f53743e18b68a1254

Supreme Court of India · 16 Feb 2019
SANJAY KISHAN KAUL; K.M. JOSEPH
Civil Appeal Nos. 2633
2016(6) SCC 157
property appeal_allowed Significant

AI Summary

The Supreme Court upheld the appellant's lawful ownership and possession of disputed agricultural land, emphasizing the primacy of continuous possession and statutory compliance in land disputes.

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- 1 - fv;eb/wo:-;EkBe GkPk ftZu nB[tkd ehsk frnk fBnK fBoDK e/tb w[eZdw/pkIk bJh T[jBK dh nkgDh GkPk ftu ;wMD sZe jh ;hws j? ns/ fJ;dk fe;/ j'o T[d/P bJh fJ;s/wkb BjhA ehsk ik ;edk. ;ko/ ftjkoe ns/ nfXekos wzstk bJh, fBnK fBoD/ dk nzro/Ih ;z;eoD gqwkfDe j't/rk ns/ nwb bkr{ eoB bJh fJ; B{z soihj fdZsh ikt/rh. fog'oN:'r
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;tb nghb Bzpo(Civil Appeal Nos.) 2633
2633$201
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T[Zsotkdh(nK) fBoDK
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1H fttkd dk ftPk, Y'b/tkb, b[fXnkDk ftZu y;ok Bzpo 1252, yksk Bzpo 318$563 ftu'A
3 fp;ftnK ns/ 11 fpZx/ dh nZX IwhB dk j?. fJj IwhB uwB bkb (;tHnghbeosk) B/ wB;k okw s'A 30$07$1949 B{z yohdh ;h. 10$03$1958 B{z, uwB bkb B/ nkgDh wso/Jh wK^;tH Pqhwsh r[od/t e"o d/ jZe ftZu fJZe fr|N vhv ehsh ;h. fttkd fJ; sZE Bkb
;zpzXs j? fe w[eZdwk e[Zb IwhB d/ nZX/ fjZ;/ d/ ;zpzX ftZu ;h iK ;koh IwhB ;tH Pqhwsh r[od/t e"o B{z fr|N ehsh rJh ;h.
2H n;b ftZu fJj fttkfds BjhA ;h fe IwhB dk epIk ;tH r[od/t e"o e"b fojk. fJj ikgdk j? fe 1969^70 dh iwQKpzdh sZe e'Jh fJzsekb BjhA ehsk frnk idA' g{oh IwhB dk
Pqhwsh r[od/t e"o d/ BK s/ fJzsekb ehsk frnk ;h, i' ibdh jh pknd ftZu, 15$03$1971 B{z
Pqhwsh ewbktsh B{z t/u fdZsh ;h. Bshi/ ti'A fJzsekb 24$10$1972 B{z ehsk frnk ;h.
- 2 -
4H fttkd ;tH Pqh uwB bkb d[nkok 22$8$1987 B{z tzv bJh w[eZdwk dkfJo eoB Bkb j'fJnk. dknt/ d/ ftZu fJj wzr ehsh rJh ;h fe fr|N ehsh rJh IwhB e[Zb IwhB dk f;oc nZX ;h. ;t^ Pqhwsh r[od/t e"o B{z gqfstkdh Bzpo 1 ns/ Pqhwsh bhbktsh B{z gqfstkdh
Bzpo 2 ti'A BkwId ehsk frnk j?.
5H w[eZdw/pkIh d"okB, gqfstkdh Bzpo 2 B/ IwhB d[pkok gqfstkdh Bzpo 3 ns/ 4 B{z
04$01$1995 ns/ 06$01$1995 B{z t/u fdZsh, fJ; soQK fJj gqfstkdh gkoNh ti'A ;akwb ehs/ rJ/ ;B. gqfstkdh i' fe ;kv/ nZr/ TZ[sotkdh Bzpo 1 ns/ 2 jB, n;b ftZu w[edw/pkIh d/ fXo jB.
6H NokfJb e'oN B/ 20$11$1998 dh iiw?AN ns/ fveoh d/ nkXko s/ ;{N B{z fveoh eo fdZsk ns/ jo/e B{z nZX/ fjZ;/ dh tzv d/ fBod/P fdZs/. gfjbh nghb e'oN B/ iiw?AN ns/ nkovo fwsh 28$08$1999 okjhA fveoh dh g[PNh ehsh. fco th, ;?fezv nghb e'oN^gzikp ns/ jfonkDk jkJh e'oN B/ 02$04$2002 dh iiw?AN d/ nB[;ko, fJjBK fJe;ko BshfinK ftZu dyb fdZsh. ;tH uwB bkb B/ fJ; nkd/P d/ fybkc ;g?Pb bht gNhPB (;h)
( SLP(C) ) Bzpo 2713$2003 B{z soihj fdZsh. nghb B{z fJZe S'N/ fij/ B[es/ d/ nkXko s/ wBI{o eo fdZsk frnk fe d{ih nghb dk c?;bk, ekB{zB dk wjZstg{oD gqPB fsnko ehs/ fpBK eo fdZsk frnk j?, i' fe ikpsk dhtkBh ;zxsk, 1908 dh Xkok 100 d/ sfjs bkIwh b'V
;h. wkwbk tkg; jkJh e'oN ftZu G/i fdZsk frnk fi; B{z jkJh e'oN B/ fdZsh rJh iiw?AN fwsh 23$01$2008 d[nkok fco wBI{o eo fdZsk frnk.
7H wkwb/ d/ r[DK d/ nkXko s/ ekotkJh eoB s'A gfjbK n;hA d/y ;ed/ jK fe fJ; ndkbs d/ fwsh 06$10$2003 d/ nkd/P B{z ekB{zBh ;fEsh d/ nkXko s/ gk; ehsk frnk ;h, fi; B{z pknd ftZu fJ; ndkbs d/ ;zftXkBe p?Au d[nkok gzeiePh (vh) nkgD/ ekB{zBh gqshfBXK okjhA ns/ j'o pBkw uzdfoek ns/ j'o e/; ftZu fdZsh rJh iiw?AN (2016(6) SCC

157) ftZu;gPN ehsk frnk fe fiE'A sZe gzikp ns/ jfonkDk jkJh e'oN dk;zpzX j?, fJZe nZv ekB{zBh;fEsh j't/rh ns/ oki;"XK d/ wZd/BIo, NokfJb e'oN d/ nkd/PK ftZu dyab^nzdkih eoB s'A gfjbK, Io{oh s"o s/ ekB{zB dk wjZstg{oB gqPB fBoXkos BjhA ehsk ik;edk. - 3 - 8H fit/A fe fJj j';edk j?, T[go'es dk fIeo ehsk ik fojk j?, sK fe sEK B{z g{ok ehsk ik;e/ fit/A fe TZ[sotkdh Bzpo 1 ns/ 2 dk wkD:'r tehb;kvk fXnkB d{ih nghb d/ nkd/P fwsh 2$4$2002 ftZu doI e[M sZEK tZb fyZu fojk j? i' fe e[M jZd sZe gq;aB d/ fttkd bJh;koEe j';ed/ jB. n;hA d/y;ed/ jK fe fJE'A sZe fe gfjb/ nkd/P s'A gfjbK,;?fezv nghb dh;w{bhns d"okB, wjZstg{oD rZb fJj;h fe;tkfbnk d;skt/I i' fe fJe fr|N vhv j?, dk jkJh e'oN dh;zpzXs Pkyk s'A nB[tkd eotkfJnk frnk;h. fJ; d;skt/I dk fbgh nzsoB th eotkfJnk frnk;h. fJ;;zdoG ftZu, nkd/P fwsh 2$4$2002 ftZu fJj d/fynk frnk j? fe;zpzXs wkD:'r iZi;kfjp B/ T[; ftnesh B{z;zwB ehsk;h fi;B/ e'oN ftZu fr|N vhv d/ d;skt/I (Exh. P[1]) dk nB[tkd ehsk;h ns/ y[Zbh ndkbs ftZu d;skt/I B{z gfVnk;h. fJ;dh s[bBk d;skt/I d/ gzikph;z;eoD Bkb ehsh rJh;h. fJ; soQK fJj ftukfonk frnk fe nB[tkd Pkyk d[nkok ehsk frnk nB[tkd fpbe[b;jh;h, Bshi/ ti'A fJj gkfJnk frnk fe;tH Pqh uwB bkb B/;koh IwhB fr|N ti'A BjhA fdZsh;h. T[;h gqfefonk ftZu fJj th doi ehsk frnk fe fJ; d;skt/I d/ nB[tkd d/;z;eoD dh P[ZXsk fttkds BjhA j?. 9H nghbeosk d/ wkD:'r tehb B/ fJj dbhb fdZsh j? fe fJj;?fezv nghb iZi d/ nfXeko y/so ftZu BjhA;h, fi;B/ szr dkfJo/ ftZu fdZs/ j'J/ fJe;ko BshfinK ftZu dyb^nzdkih ehsh, fi; ftZu nfijh;?fezv nghb dh gzikp e'oN n?eN, 1918 dh Xkok 41 d/;zdoG ftZu (fJ; s'A pknd “gzikp e'oN n?eN@ ti'A ikfDnk iKdk j?) gzikp e'oN n?eN dh Xkok 42 Bkb gfVnk iKdk j?, dh tX/o/ iKu ehsh ikDh ukjhdh j?. T[es gqpzXB j/m fby/ nB[;ko jBL^ “ 41.;?fezv nghbK^(1) j/m fbfynK ftu'A, fe;/ th nkXko s/, T[Zu ndkbs d/ nXhB fe;/ th ndkbs d[nkok gk; ehsh jo/e fveoh s/, jkJh e'oN ftZu nghb dkfJo ehsh ikt/rhL (T) c?;bk ekB{zB d/ fto[ZX iK ekB{zB d/ I'o Bkb fe;/ ohs iK otkI d/ fto[ZX j'DK. (n) c?;bk ekB{zB d/ fe;/ tZv/ w[Zd/ B{z fBoXkos eoB ftZu n;|b fojk j't/ iK ekB{zB d/ I'o Bkb ohs iK otkI B{zz fBoXkos eoB ftZu n;|b fojk j't/. - 4 - (J) ikpsk dhtkBh;zxsk 1908 d[nkok fdZsh rJh gqfefonk ftZu e'Jh tZvh rbsh iK B[e; j'D s/ ( V of 1908) iK T[;;w/A bkr{ j'D tkbk e'Jh j'o ekB{zB i' fe r[DK d/ nkXko s/ e/; d/ c?;b/ ftZu;zGt s"o s/ rbsh iK B[e; g?dk eo;edk j't/.;gPNheoB^T^ fe;/ ohs iK otki dh j'Ad iK gqwkfDesk Bkb i[V/ gqPB B{z fJ; Xkok d/ noE d/ nzdo ekB{zB dk gqPB wzfBnk ikt/rk. (2) fJZe so|k nghbh fveoh gk; j'D s/, fJ;;?ePB sfjs nghb gkJh ik;edh j?. (1941 d/ gzzikp e'oN n?eN 6 dh Xkok 2B d[nkok fBo;s ehsk frnk) (Repealed by Section 2B of Punjab Act 6 of 1941) 42.;?fezv nghb fe;/ j'o nkXko s/ BjhA gt/rhL^ (1) Xkok 41 ftZu fdZs/ rJ/ ekoBK s'A fJbktk j'o fe;/ nkXko s/;?fezv nghb BjhA gt/rh. (2) g[b;h fe;w (nature cognizable) d/ fe;/ th;{N ftZu, S'N/ w[eZdfwnK dhnK ndkbsK d[nkok, id'A n;b w[eZdw/ d/ ftP/ dh oew iK ehws gzi;" o[gJ/ s'A tZX BjhA j[zdh, e'Jh;?fezv nghb BjhA gt/rh.@ 10H d{i/ gk;/, T[sotkdh Bzpo 1 ns/ 2 dk wkD:'r tehb fJj dbhb g/P eodk j? fe jkJh e'oN, d;skt/I i' fe fr|N vhv;h ns/ fttkd dk n;bh w[Zdk;h, dk;jh nB[tkd eokT[D ftZu nkgD/ nfXeko y/so ftZu;jh;h. T[go fdZfsnK rJhnK ekotkJhnK s/ d'jK fXoK dh wBI{oh bJh Go';k ehsk frnk j? fe nB[tkd;jh j?. fJ;;zdoG ftZu, gzikp e'oN n?eN dh Xkok 41 dhnK T[g^XkoktK(J/) ns/ (;h) dk jtkbk fdZsk frnk j? sK fe fJj dbhb fdZsh ik;e/ fe;Zsk dh tos'A T[es nfXeko y/so ftZu gt/rh. 11H wkwb/ B{z ftukoB s/, n;hA fJj gkfJnk j? fe fJj BjhA fejk ik;edk j? fe jkJh e'oN B{z gzikp e'oN n?eN dh Xkok 41 d/ dkfJo/ ftZu ezw eoBk ukjhdk j?, s/ fJ;B/ nkgD/ nfXeko y/so s'A nZr/ tZX e/ ezw ehsk j?. n;hA nfijk fJ; bJh efjzd/ jK feT[Afe fttkd dk nkXko fJe fr|N vhv tkbk d;skt/I;h i' fe fttkd dk ftPk;h.;G s'A gfjbK d;skt/I B{z |ko;h T[gGkPk d/ Bkb T[od{ ftZu fbfynk frnk;h ns/ fJ; s'A pknd fJ;dk gzikph GkPk ftZu nB[tkd ehsk frnk;h. T[; s'A pknd, fJ; dk nzro/Ih nB[tkd ns/ fbgh nzsoB th ehsk frnk;h. fJ; soQK i/eo nB[tkd ns/ fbgh nzsoB mhe BjhA;B, sK rbs - 5 d;skt/I T[Zs/ Go';k j't/rk. fJ; wzst B{z jkJh e'oN okjhA gqwkfDs nB[tkd eotk e/ g{ok ehsk frnk;h ns/ nB[tkd d/;zpzX ftZu nghb eosktK dhnK fonkfJsK$p/Bsh B{z fwsh 02$04$2002 d/ nkd/P ftZu doI ehsk frnk, Gkt/A nkd/P B{z ykoi eo fdZsk frnk. d'jK fXoK dh nB[tkd ns/ fbgh nzsoB dh P[ZXsk pko/ gqtkBrh s/ PZe BjhA ehsk ik;edk. i/eo nkXko i' fe fJZe d;skt/I j?, dk rbs Yzr Bkb nB[tkd ehsk frnk j?, sK fdZsh ikD tkbh ftnkfynk ns/ fttkfds gqPB B{z fBoXkos eoB ftZu fJe p[fBnkdh ekB{zBh ewI'oh j't/rh. fJ; bJh, n;hA jkJh e'oN d/ jZeK T[Zs/, r[DK d/ nkXko s/ ftukoD bJh nghbeosk d/ wkD:'r;hBhno tehb d[nkok fdZs/ rJ/ gqkEfwe fJsokI B{z wzBD bJh fJSZe BjhA jK. 12H n;hA gfjbK fdZfsnK rJhnK o;wh fBnkfJe x'PDktK d[nkok;kv/ T[es ftuko Bkb;fjws jK. n;hA d/y;ed/ jK fe fJj iiw?ANK T[go'es nfXfB:w dh Xkok 100 sfjs;?fezv nghb d/ gqpzXK d/;zdoG ftZu j?, feT[Afe fJj 1976 d/;'X s'A gfjbK jh w"i{d;h, i' fe brGr w"i{dk gqpzX d/;wkB j?, i' gzikp(fit/A fe g?oQk Bzpo 24 ftZu gzeinePh (vh) nkgD/ ekB{zBh gqshfBXK okjhA ftZu d/fynk frnk) s/ bkr{ j[zdk j?. sZE d/ gqPB B{z;kps eoB bJh d;skt/I dh ouBk eoB Bkb e'Jh w[Zdk(id'A sZe d;skt/I dk NkJhNb) yVk BjhA jzz[dk id'A sZe fJj ftykfJnk ik;edk j? fe fJ; ftZu w"i{d tZvh rtkjh B{z sZE dh ndkbs ( Court of Fact) d[nkok rbs;wfMnk frnk;h. w"i{dk e/; d/ sZEK d/;zpzX ftZu n;hA, d;skt/I d/ NkJhNb, i' fe fr|N vhv j?, d/ Bkb fttjko eo oj/ jK. fJ; soQK, fJ; ftZu E'Vh Pzek j';edh j? fe i/eo d;skt/I dk nB[tkd mhe soQK Bkb BjhA ehsk frnk, fJZe gZy i' fe jkJh e'oN d[nkok nB[tkd eotkT[D bJh;zp'fXs ehsk frnk;h, fi; B{z;theko eo fbnk frnk;h, fco;jh nB[tkd dh ouBk eoBh gt/rh. fJj f;XKs “;o u[zBhbkb thH w/jsk n?Av;BI fbwfNv pBkw;?Au[oh fPfgzr n?Av w?B[c?eufozr ezgBh fbwfNv d/ e/; d/ g?oQk Bzpo 2 ftZu d/fynk frnk, i' fe j/m nB[;ko j?L^ “2........ n;b ftZu, fJj uzrh soQK d/fynk frnk j? fe NkJhNb dk d;skt/I iK d;skt/I dh ouBk i' fe fXoK d/ jZeK dh p[fBnkd j?, io{oh s"o s/ ekB{zBh;tkb yVk eodk j?.@ - 6 - 13H w[Zd/ d/ n;bh fttkd ns/ T[;d/ jkJh e'oN d[nkok ehs/ rJ/ ftPb/PD tZb tkg; iKd/ j'J/, fr|N vhv s'A ikjo j[zdk j? fe i' fr|N ehsk frnk j?, T[j g{oh IwhB dh s[bBk e'Jh nZX dh IwhB dk fieo BjhA eodh. i/eo nghb eosk dh p/Bsh;theko eo bJh iKdh, sK e[ZM y/so fr|N ehsk j'Dk ukjhdk j? id'A fe d{ik tkg; oZfynk j[zdk. fJj nfijk BjhA j?. p/PZe, nghb eosk d/ wkD:'r;hBhno tehb dk efjDk j? fe y/so fpBK tzv d/ fojk ns/ fJ; ekoD jh ftGkiB dh wzr ehsh ik ojh;h. 14H n;hA d/y;ed/ jK fe id'A 800 o[gJ/ dk jtkbk fdZsk iKdk j?, sK fJj 1600 o[gJ/ d/ nZX/ w[Zb d/;zdoG ftZu j[zdk j?, fJZe ftXh i' fe d/P d/ fJ; fjZ;/ ftZu gqufbs j? s/ nfij/ nB[tkd B{z doi eod/;w/A nzefVnk dh P[ZXsk bJh nZXh oew dk fIeo ehsk iKdk j? sK fe fJj:ehBh pDkfJnk ik;e/ fe n;b nzeVk;jh soQK gqshfpzps j[zdk j?. f;o| fJj jh BjhA, nB[tkd fJj do;kJ/rk fe dkB b?D tkbk w/o/ d[nkok fr|N$dkB ehsh rJh IwhB dk ekpi wkbe wzfBnk iKdk j?. i' IwhB fr|N ehsh rJh;h, T[;dk epIk d/ fdZsk frnk;h. w"i{dk e/; d/ sZEK nB[;ko, g{oh IwhB gfjbK gqfstkdh Bzpo 1, fco gqfstkdh Bzpo 2 ns/ pknd ftZu gqfstkdh Bzpo 3 ns/ 4 d/ epi/ ftZu j?. 15H n;hA fJj th d/y;ed/ jK fe gfjbh tko iwQKpzdh 1969^70 bJh;torh r[od/t e"o d/ jZe ftu ehsh rJh;h. fJ; s'A gfjbK,;koh IwhB n;b wkbe,;torh uwB bkb d/ BK s/ ojh. nfijk BjhA j? fe nZXh IwhB dh iwQKpzdh;torh uwB bkb ns/ nZXh IwhB;torh r[od/t e"o d/ BK s/ ehsh rJh;h. i/eo;torh uwB bkb dh soc'A e'Jh fPekfJs j[zdh sK, fJj fJ; bJh fJZe w"ek j';edk;h. gfjbh tko fJj wkwbk 17;kb pknd T[mkT[D dh wzr ehsh rJh j? ns/ fi; IwhB dh rZb j' ojh j?, T[j 16;kb pknd gqfstkdh Bzpo 2 B{z t/uh ik ojh j?. fXoK d/ ftjko s'A fJj brdk j? fe fXoK B/;wfMnk fe;koh IwhB fr|N ehsh rJh;h ns/;koh IwhB dk epIk d/ fdZsk frnk;h. 16H nghb eosk d/ wkD:'r tehb B/ fJj g/P eoe/ nghbeosk d/ jZe ftZu fXnkB fyZuD dh e'fPP ehsh j? fe NokfJb e'oN ns/ gfjbh nghb e'oN B/ fJj fejk;h fe fr|N d/ d;skt/I s/ fJ; nkXko s/ w'jo brkJh rJh;h fe fr|N dk w[Zb 800 o[gJ/;B BK fe 1600 o[gJ/. - 7 - 17H fJ;;zdoG ftZu, TZ[sotkdh d/ wkD:'r;hBhno tehb B/;kB{z dZf;nk fe fJzvhnB;N?Ag (gzikp;'X) n?eN, 1958 B{z, 23$04$1958 B{z gzikp d/ okigkb dh;fjwsh fwbh;h. fi; b?D^d/D dk gqPB;h, T[j T[; fwsh s'A gfjbK dk;h. fJ; soQK, fJ; p/Bsh dk finkdk gqGkt BjhA gt/rk. 18H fJ; gqeko,;kvk;gPN s"o s/ fJj ftuko j? fe 10$03$1958 s'A pknd;kjwD/ nkJ/ sZEK ns/ ekB{zBh;fEsh d/;zdoG ftZu, fJzB/ bzw/;w/A s'A pknd;zgsh ftZu pdbkt eoBk mhe BjhA j?. fr|N B{z f;o| fJZe, ns/ f;o| fJe'A sohe/ Bkb gfVnk ik;edk j?. 19H fJ; soQK n;hA w"i{dk nghb B{z ftukoB bJh gkpzd BjhA jK. 20H nghb ykoi ehsh iKdh j?. fXoK nkg' nkgD/ you/;fjD eoBrhnK.;zi/ fePB e"b, iZi.........................................J (SANJAY KISHAN KAUL) e/Hn?wHi';c, iZi, HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHJ (K.M.JOSEPH) BthA fdZbh, 16 i[bkJh, 2019 fv;eb/wo:-;EkBe GkPk ftZu nB[tkd ehsk frnk fBnK fBoDK e/tb w[eZdw/pkIk bJh T[jBK dh nkgDh GkPk ftu;wMD sZe jh;hws j? ns/ fJ;dk fe;/ j'o T[d/P bJh fJ;s/wkb BjhA ehsk ik;edk.;ko/ ftjkoe ns/ nfXekos wzstk bJh, fBnK fBoD/ dk nzro/Ih;z;eoD gqwkfDe j't/rk ns/ nwb bkr{ eoB bJh fJ; B{z soihj fdZsh ikt/rh. Translated by Ms. Sangeeta, Translator Typed by Sh. Ajay Abbot, Sr. Assistant.