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PETITIONER: GURNAM SINGH & ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: THE SUB-DIVISIONAL OFFICER (CIVIL) KAITHAL & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       12/03/1996

BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. VENKATASWAMI K. (J)

CITATION:  JT 1996 (3)   561        1996 SCALE  (3)110

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      This appeal  by special  leave arises from the order of the Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court made on June 11, 1979 in writ petition No.1944/79.      The admitted  facts are  that the  appellants came into possession of  the lands  in question  as tenants  20  years prior to  1975 and  the lease  had expired in the year 1975. Thereafter, no fresh lease was granted to the appellants. It is not  in dispute  that the  lands are  Shamlat  Deh  lands vested in  the Gram  Panchayat. The  High Court relying upon its earlier  decisions has  held that under Section 7 of the Punjab Common  Lands (Regulation)  Act, 1961 read with Rules 19 and  20 of  the Rules  the Assistant Collector, 1st class has been  empowered to  have the  appellants ejected and the notice issued  under Rule  20 cannot  be said to be invalid. Thus, this appeal by special leave.      Shri P.P.  Juneja, learned  counsel for the appellants, contended that  Rule 19  is bad in law since the Act did not define as  to who  is an unauthorised occupant; that Rule 19 cannot  specify   an  unauthorised   occupant;   and   that, therefore, it  is beyond  the rule  making power. We find no force in the contention.      Rule 19 elaborately states thus:      "19. For  the purpose  of Section 7      of  the  Act,  a  person  shall  be      deemed  to   be   in   unauthorised      occupation of  any land  in Shamlat      Deh :      (a) where he has, whether before or      after the  commencement of the Act,      entered  into  possession  thereof,      otherwise   than   under   and   in      pursuant of any allotment, lease or      grant by the Panchayat; or      (b) where,  he being  an  allottee,      lessee or grantee, has by reason of

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    the determination  or  cancellation      of his allotment, lease or grant in      accordance with  the terms  in that      behalf  therein   contained  ceased      whether   before   or   after   the      commencement  of  the  Act,  to  be      entitled to  occupy  or  hold  such      land in  Shamlat Deh;  or (c) where      any person authorized to occupy any      land in  Shamlal Deh,  has  whether      before or after the commencement of      the Act:      (i) Sublet, in contravention of the      terms of  allotment, lease or grant      without  the   permission  of   the      Panchyat or  of any other authority      competent  to   permit  such   sub-      letting, the  whole or  any part of      such land in Shamlal Deh; or      (ii)     Otherwise     acted     in      contravention of  any of  the terms      express or  implead under  which he      is authorized  to occupy  such land      in Shamlal Deh.      Explanation:      -----------      For purposes of clause (a) a person      shall not  merely, by reason of the      fact that  he has paid any rent, be      deemed   to   have   entered   into      possession as  allottee, lessee  or      grantee."      Rule 20  specifies the procedure as      under:      "20. Issue  of Notice to show cause      against order of eviction.      (Sections 7  and  15(2)(k)-(1).  If      the Assistant  Collector of the Ist      grade is of opinion that any person      are in  unauthorised occupation  of      or claim  interest in  the land  in      Shamlal  deh  situated  within  his      jurisdiction and   that they should      be evicted,  he shall issued in the      manner   hereinafter   provided   a      notice in  writing calling upon all      the persons concerned to show cause      why an order of eviction should not      be made.      (2) The notice shall-      (a) specify  the grounds  on  which      the order  of eviction  is proposed      to be made; and      (b) require  all persons concerned,      that is  to say all persons who are      or may  be,  in  occupation  of  or      claim interest  in Shamlal  deh, to      show cause,  if  any,  against  the      proposed order  notice being a date      not earlier  than ten days from the      date of issue thereof.      (3) The  Assistant Collector  shall      cause  the  notice  to  be  affixed      outside the  panchayat ghar  or any      other building   used  as office by

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    the   Panchayat    and   at    some      conspicuous places of the estate in      which the  land in  Shamlal Deh  is      situated,  whereupon   the   notice      shall be  deemed to  have been duly      given to all persons concerned.      (4) where  the Assistant  Collector      knows or  has  reasons  to  believe      that any  persons are in occupation      of the  land in   Shamlal deh, then      without prejudice to the provisions      of sub-rule (3) he may cause a copy      of the  notice to  be served     on      every such  person by  post, or  by      delivering or  tendering it to that      person."      Sections 7 and 13-B read as under:      "7. (1)  An Assistant  Collector of      the first grade having jurisdiction      in the village may, either suo motu      or on  an   application made to him      by the  Panchayat  or an inhabitant      of Village or the Block Development      and Panchayat  Officer or    Social      Education and  Panchayat Officer by      the Block Development and Panchayat      Officer, after  making such summary      enquiry as  he may  deem fit and in      accordance with   such procedure as      may be prescribed, eject any person      who is  in wrongful or unauthorised      possession of  the  land  or  other      immovable property  in the  Shamlal      Deh of  that village which vests or      is deemed  to have  been vested  in      the Panchayat  under this  Act  and      put  the  Panchayat  in  possession      thereof  and   for  so   doing  the      Assistant Collector  of  the  first      grade may  exercise the powers of a      revenue Court  in relation  to  the      execution   of    a   decree    for      possession of land under the Punjab      Tenancy Act, 1887.      (2) The  Assistant Collector of the      first grade  may, by  an order,  in      writing, require  any person to pay      a penalty,  in respect  of the land      or other  immovable property  which      was or  has been in his wrongful or      unauthorised possession,  at a rate      not less  than six  hundred  rupees      and not  more than two thousand and      five hundred rupees per hectare per      annum, having regard to the benefit      which could  be  derived  from  the      land or  other immovable  property.      If the  penalty is  not paid within      the period  of thirty days from the      date of  the order,  the same shall      be recoverable  as arrears  of land      revenue.      (3) If  any person refused or fails      to  comply   with  the   order   of      eviction passed  under  sub-section

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    (1) within  ten days of the date of      such order, the Assistant Collector      of the  first grade  may  use  such      force, including  police force,  as      may be  necessary for  putting  the      panchayat in possession.      (4)  Any  person  aggrieved  by  an      order of the Assistant Collector of      the first grade may within a period      of thirty days from the date of the      order,  prefer  an  appeal  to  the      Collector, in such form and manner,      as may be prescribed."      "13-B. All  suits  pending  in  any      Civil Court  in respect of any land      or other immovable property wherein      relief  has  been  claimed  on  the      ground of  its being  excluded from      Shamlal Deh  under  clause  (g)  of      Section 2  or on any of the grounds      mentioned  in  sub-section  (3)  of      Section 4  against  the  Panchayat,      shall stand  transferred to and the      fresh   proceedings   for   seeking      relief  on  the  aforesaid  grounds      shall  be   instituted  before  the      Assistant Collector  of  the  first      grade having  jurisdiction  in  the      village wherein  the land  or other      immovable property  is suitable who      shall dispose  of the  same in  the      manner laid  down  in  sub-sections      (5) and (7) of Section 13-A."      A conjoint  reading of  these provisions  would clearly indicate that the conspectus of the operation of the Act was intended to have unauthorised occupants ejected by specified officer who has been invested with power and jurisdiction to evict unauthorised  occupants from  the  possession  of  the lands  vested   in  the   Gram  Panchayat.  The  contention, therefore, that  the Government  is devoid  of power to make Rule 19  is without  force. The  further contention  of Shri Juneja is  that contrary  to the specifications mentioned in Rule 20,  the appellant  was called upon to give the grounds for his  not being  ejected which  is in  derogation of  the language in which Rule 20 is couched. Though prima facie the contention is  attractive, on  the facts  we do not find any substance in  the contention.  On his own admission that the appellants are  in unauthorised  occupation after the expiry of the lease, they are liable to be ejected unless they show any other  legal right  for their continuance in possession. Under these  circumstance, we do not think that there is any substance in the appeal.      The appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs.