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PETITIONER: RANDHIR SINGH & ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CONSOLIDATION & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       01/04/1997

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, D.P. WADHWA

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      These appeals  by special leave arise from the judgment of the  Division Bench  of the High Court of Allahabad, made on 30.10.1977 in special Appeal Nos. 1047 & 1048 of 1970.      It is  not necessary  to  dilate  upon  the  three-tier history of the litigation. Suffice it to state that pursuant to the  remand order  made by  the High  court in  the  last instance, the  Deputy Director  has gone  into the  question whether the  settlement officer  under the consolidation Act has jurisdiction  to decide the dispute. Section 3(5) of the U.P. consolidation  of Holdings  Act defines  "land" to mean the land  held or  occupied for  the purpose  connected with agriculture, horticulture  and poultry  form  and  also  the site, being  part of  a holding, of a house of other similar structures.      In view  of the  above definition under section 3(5) of the consolidation  Act, the buildings occupying the land and used for  commercial purpose  are not  covered by  the  Act. Therefore, the  High Court  had left  the dispute open for a decision by the appropriate Court.      It is  an admitted position that the appellants and the respondents are holding heats in those areas. Under the U.P. Land Reforms  Act, 1950 the question whether such lands vest in the  state on  abolition of  the estates  etc. is  also a matter left  open since  the state  is not  a party to these proceedings. It  may be open to the appellants to have their rights adjudicated  as ordered  by  the  High  Court  in  an appropriate proceeding according to law.      The appeals are accordingly dismissed. No. costs.