Abdulla Kabir v. Md. Nasiruddin

ABDULLA KABIR v. MD. NASIRUDDIN [RAY, J.[ 399 RAY, J. Special leave granted. Heard learned counsel for both A the parties. This appeal on special leave arises out of an application for pre­ emption filed under the provisions of Section 8 of West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 (West Bengal Act X of 1956) by the respondent, Md. Nasiruddin to pre-empt the land sold to the appel- B lant, Abdulla Kabir by a Kabala dated May 16, 1974 by a c_o-sharer having I/4th interest in plot No. 115/852 appertaining to Khatian No. 1944 on the ground of his being co-sharer in the said holding. The land in question i.e. plot No. 115/852 measuring 0.3 cents was owned by one Sarat Chandra Dutta, son of Amulaya Ratan. Sarai Chandra Dutta was an agriculturist and he used to keep his agricultural imple- C men ts in the said property.· He also possessed along with the said land other agricultural lands as agriculturist and in occupancy raiyati interest. During R.S. operation also the said property was recorded in his name as 'Raiyat Sthitiban' and the classification of land was recorded as 'Bari' i.e. homestead of the said agriculturist. On Septem- ber 20, 1967, Sarat Chandra Dutta, owner of the said plot of land, sold D the same by a registered Kabala to four persons namely Sisir Kumar Monda!, Naba Kumar Monda!, Madhusudan Monda! and Purnalak­ shmi Monda!. Thereafter on October 28, 1968 Sisir Kumar Monda! and Naba Kumar Monda! sold their shares to Nurunessa Khatun, predecessor of the respondent-petitioner. On the basis of this Kabala Nurunessa Khatun became co-sharer in respect of the said land. After E the death of Nurunessa Khatun her heirs including the eldest son, the respondent•petitioner, inherited the right of occupancy as co-sharer. On May 16, 1974, Purnalakshmi sold her I/4th interest to the appel­ lant, Abdulla Kabir by Kabala (Exh. l(b). It is the case of the respondent-petitioner that as no notice ofrhe said sale was served on his mother, Nurunessa Khatun, he could not kn·ow of the said sale F earlier. However, on taking certified copy of the said sale on May 3, 1977, the respondent-petitioner filed an application for pre-emption under Section 8 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act after depositing the requisite sum as required to be deposited uner the said Act. This application was registered as Misc. Case No. 36 of 1977 in the Court of Munsif, 2nd Court, Bolpur. The appellant contested the case by filing G a written objection contending inter alia that the respondent-petitioner was neither co-sharer of the holding nor an adjoining land owner. The disputed property is non-agricultural tenancy. The petition for pre­ emption is barred by limitation as the respondent-petitioner was all along aware of the said sale and the story of his coming to know of such sale after taking oopy of sale deed on May 3, 1977 was absolutely false. H 400 SUPREME COl}RT REPORTS 11989) 1 S.C.R. The distuted deed does not contain the recital that the respondent­ petitioQer was an adjoining l11nd owner. The petition for pre-emption in sue!\ circumstances was Ii.able to be dismissed. Three issues were framed PY the Trial Court i,e.: (1) W)jether the case land is non-agricultural and whether sec• B tion. 8 of the West Ilengal Land Reforms Act will be applicable in this case; (2) Whether tl\e petitioner was a co-sharnr in respect of case holding from before purchase of the disputed land; (3) Whether the case is barred by limitation? The Trial Court held that the petitioner-respondent was a co­ sharer and was entitle!! to pre-empt; the application for pre-emptiol) was not barre!! by limitation as it was filed within a period of three years of knowledge of the same as no notice of sale was served on the D petitioner-respondent, The Trial Court further held that the subject matter of tl\e sale was recorded as "Bastu" in the Kobala dated May 16, 1974 (Exh. l(b) and "Bari" in the R.S. Record of Right (Exh. 3(h) a,nd thpµgh Sarai Chandra Dutta, the owner of the land was an agriculturist yet this homestead land being not included in the raiyat holding cpuld not be treated as agricultural land according to the E provisioQs of West Bengal Land Reforms Act because of the non­ agricultural use as evident from the R.S. Record of rights. The land is non-agricultural la11!1 and as such the application for pre-emption under Section 8 of the said Act was not maintainable. The Misc. Case W!ls, thernfore, dismissed. F Agllinst the said judgment and ord\Or, Misc. Appeal No. 84 of 19S0 was filed by the respondent in the 2nd Court of the Addi. District Ju!ige, f!jrpl\uni. The appellate court reversed the findings of the trial court and held that the suit property was recorded as of raiyati interest jn tpe R,S. Record of rights and the suit land being the homestead of S;uat Chandn1 Putta who was an agriculturist, it was agricultural land G according Ip the provisions of the said Act and the application for pm-emption und!lr Section 8 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act W<!S maint<!ina!>Je. The appellate court further upheld the findings of ihc;i trial court that the appiiclltion was not barred by limitation and the appellant (respondent herein) was a co-sharer of the said land, The Misc, A,ppe~l W!!s, therefore, allowed and the jud$llent of the trial H c!lurt W!lS set aside. -1 1 --+ } I ABDUIL;\ ~IR v. MD, !'/ASIRUDD[N IRAY, J.] 4111 Ag;iinst this judgme11t and order of the appellate court, tile ap­ pellant, Abdulla Kabir filed a petition in revision being C,Il, N\l, 27l6 (:if 19.61 i11 the High Court 11t C!lkl!tta, Puring tne Pende11cy of tile said Revision!l! c;ise the reswndent-pre-e111ptor niad~ ll!l application fQr !llllend111ent of the relief clai111ed i11 the application for pre-emp\i9l1 by a!l!ling ;m alternative relief for pn;-empti1:m undl!r Sectio11 24 of th~ West Bengal N!ln-Agricu!turnl Tena11CY Act, After llearing bot!i t!ie parties, the !\l!lendment was allowed subject to the payme~t of costs quantifie!I at Rs.1,000. Tllereaf!er, on December 11, 1985 the Civil Rule was disclmrged by holdin!l that: " .. , . , l am n9! s&tisfied that the fillding rncorded \>y tile appellate court based as it is on an assessment of evide11ce. sµffers from ally jurisdicti<mal Qefect or errQr, s\l a& to e11ti­ tle this Court io i11terfere in revisjqp, This C!l\lrt cannot enter into evidence !Ille! comet() its conclusion," It has !llS() bee11 held tnat in view of the !l111enc!me11t 9f tile peti­ tion even if it is held that the Janel was n()n-agricu!Wral land, pre- D C;Jmption c9uld be granted under S!'cti9n :24 of the N9n-Agriculturnl Tenancy Act. Against this jud!ll1lent !Ind order, the instant appeal on special leave has been preferred in this Court. · - Dr. Ghosh, learned counsel appearing on h10!mlf of the appt;!lant h11s contended in the first place that the land in questio11 has been recorded as "Bari, teen khanna ghar" in the R,S, Recore! of rights i,e. it is not agricultural land, The land is used for non-itgricultural pu[poses th()ugh the/right of the owner of the !;in(! has heeri recorded as agriculturist ''raiyai sthitiba_n, ". He further contendecl that as the f 'bari' or the homestead is not situ!lted Qn the agricultural !a11d in the holding held by a Raiyat, it can!lot be trea\eQ as agriQu)t11rll.! Jamj, Jt is non-agricultural land used fc:>r non-agric11!t11rnl p11rJioses an(! the pr()vj" sions of Section 8 of the Land Reforms Act are not-11pp!icahle to ~ucll a holding as has been held by t!tco trial court. The finding of the ttigh Court to the effect that there was no err9r ()f iuriscllcfi9n is wh\lily G unwarranted and as such the appeal should be al!ciwed. · Dr. Ghosh n11i<;t contended referring to the \lecisi\ln in l}yq~h~ Mn Ali Naskar and Anr. v. Golap Gazi, I 1979] 8:3 CWN s'i tl!at the nature of the holding whetl!er it is agricu!t11rn! or !!011-agricyl­ tural has to be determined with referel!Ge to the \Iser Qf th~ land H 402 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 119891 1 S.C.R. A co~pr 1 ised in the holding. dThe land in question is used for non- -+ agncu tural purposes and it oes not form a part of his raiyati holding comprising of Agricultural land. Therefore, it cannot be treated as agricultural land under the West Bengal Land Reforms Act. The land being recorded as "Bastu" in the R.S. Record of rights, it is to be treated as non-agricultural land. Dr. Ghosh next submitted that the High Court did not give a .>. definite finding whether Section 8 of the Land Reforms Act or Section 24 of the West Bengal Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act was applicable in this case. Mr. Ghosh, therefore, submitted that there has been an error of jurisdiction and the appeal should be allowed. Dr. Ghosh has lastly contended that Section 3A was inserted by West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1981 and assent of the President to the same was published in the Gazette on 24th March, 1986. Referring to this provision he submitted that the matter should be sent back and the appellant should be permitted to take such de- 0 fences in view of the amended provisions as are available to him and the matter should be re-heard by the trial court. He drew the notice of the court to the decisions in Dwarka Nath Prasad Atal v. Ram Rati Devi, 11980] 1SCC17 and Luigi Ambrosini Ltd. v. Bakare Tinko and Another, A.LR. 1929 PC 306. E We are unable to accept the contentions made on behalf of the appellant for the reasons stated hereinbelow. The land in question which is V..th share of plot No. 115/852 has been recorded in the R.S. Record of rights as "Raiyat Sthitiban" i.e. the original owner of the said land Sarat Chandra Dutta was a raiyat F and the classification of the land has been recorded as "bari". The entry in the record of right is presumed to be correct and this has not been challenged by any body. It, therefore, appears that the land in question is the homestead land of Sarai Chandra Dutta who is on agriculturist being recorded as raiyat. G Section 2(6) of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 defines holding as: "holding" means the land or lands held by a raiyat and treated as a unit for assessment of revenue." H Section 2(7) defines land as under: ABDULLA KABIR v. MD. NASIRUDDIN [RAY, J.] 403 "land" means agricultural land other than land comprised A in a tea-garden which is retained under sub-section (3) of section 6 of the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953, and includes homesteads but does not include tank. Explanation: "Homestead" shall have the same meaning B as in the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953" So according to the above provisions the homestead of an ag­ riculturist is agricultural land. It has been found by the courts below that the land in question is a homestead land recorded as "Bari" in the R.S. record of rights. The owner of the said land Sarai Chandra Dutta is also recorded as a raiyat i.e. "raiyat sthitiban". In other words, it is C the homestead of a raiyat i.e. an agriculturist. The trial court held that this R.S. record of right is not erroneous as the same has not been challenged by any body in the petition. Rather the respondent­ petitioner supported the contention that "Sarai Chandra Dutta, the owner of plot No. 115/852 was mainly an agriculturist and his main D source of living was agriculture." The learned Munsif however, held that since the said homestead is not included in the holding of the raiyat i.e. the homestead does not stand on the agricultural land included in his holding, the homestead land cannot be treated as agricultural land relying on the decision in Eyachhin Ali Naskar and Anr. v. Golap Gazi (supra). This finding of the trial court has been E negatived by the lower appellate court as well as by the High Court and it has been held that the said homestead land is agricultural land, This finding, in our view, is quite valid and legal. It has been observed by the Calcutta High Court in Eyachhin Ali Naskar and Anr. v. Golap Gazithat: F " ..... It is thus obvious that the nature of the holding has to be determined with reference to the user of its land or lands under the said Act. Section 2(6) of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act defines "holding" as the land or lands held by a raiyat and treated as a unit for assessment of revenue. Under clause (7) of Section 2 of the same Act G "land" in the Act means agricultural land other than land comprised in a tea garden which is retained under sub­ section {3) of Section 6 of the West Bengal Estate Acquisi­ tion Act, 1953 and includes homesteads." It has been further observed that: H 404 SUPREME CdlJkT REPORTS 11989] 1 S.C.R. " , , , , . iii a case where as here the holding is recorded as bastu and the non-agrictiltural user is also evident, as appeatirtg i'rorn the revisionai record of rights wherein it has beert stated that there are two huts standing thereon, the land cannot be treated as land to which the provisions of the Land Reforms Act will be applicabie, as the Act applies to agricultural lands only." This obser\iation of the High Court has been made wrongly in as much as the High Court did not take notice of the amended provision -~ of the West Bertgai Non-Agticulturai Tenancy Act, 1949 amended by Act S of 1974. Sectitlii 2(4)(a) defines non-agricultural land as land C used for purposes not connected with agricitlture or horticulture but does 11ot include a homestead to which the provisions of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, i95S apply, Taking notice of this provision it is crystal cleat that homestead land does not fall within the province of rtoii-agriculhital land both under the Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act as well as urtdet the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955. In that D view of the matter the whole basis of the observation of the High COurt to the effect "that where ihe holding is recorded as bastu and the non-agricultural user is also evident, as appearing from the revisional record Uf rights wherein it has been stated that there are two huts standing thereon, the land cahoot be treated as land to which the provi­ sions of the Land R.eforms Act will be applicable as the Act applies to E agfictfiiiiral liiitds oriiy" is wrong. The judgment is per incuriam. As has been stated liereinbefote that the definition of land as given in the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 refers to agricultural land and iflcltides homestead. Explanation to sub"section 7 of section 2 furl.lier provides that "Homestead shall have the same meaning as ii1 th!! West Bengal Estates Aequisiticin Act, 1953.;' Section 2(g) of the F West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act; i953 defines; "Homestead'; means a dwelling house together with-any court, yard, comptiund, garden, out-house, place of wor­ ship, family graveyard, library, office, guest-house, tanks, wells, privies, latrines, drains and boundary walls annexed to or appertaining to such dwelling house;" Therefore, on a conspectus ,cjf the aforesaid provisions, it obviously follows tliat homestead of art agriculturist even though the same is irtduded Iii the ho1dii1g of ihe taiyat but not on the agricultural land stili it 1s to 1be treated as agtietiitutaI land bemg the homestead of the H agficUJttitist iilltfor the ptoviSioils of the West Bengal Land Reforms , ,( ' , >- .~--;-/,'.,,--- ':;..., . : \ ABDULLA'KABIR v. MD. NASIRUDDIN IRAY, J.) 405 .,_. ____ , Act read with West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act and West Bengal Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act. Therefore;' the application under Sec­ tion 8 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act filed by the respondent­ petitioner as a co-sharer of the said holding for pre-emption of the land purchased by a stranger i.e. the appellant is maintiiinable under law as has been rightly held by the lower appellate court as well as High Court. The application for pre-emption under Section 8 of West Bengal Land Reforms Act was properly allowed by lower appellate court and the' said order was maintained by High Court. There is no infinility in this finding and we uphold the same. As regards the second contention it appears that by amendment an alternative relief under Section 24 of the West Bengal Non­ Agricultural Tenancy Act has been inserted in the application for pre­ emption. It also appears that the said application for amendment was - allowed after hearing both the parties and that no objection to the said application for amendment was taken at the time of hearing of the application for amendment norat the final hearing of the Revision Case any_ objection was raised on ,, this score. Moreover, we have already held that Section 8 of West Bengal Land Reforms Act is applicable to this case. The appellant therefore, cannot be permitted to raise this question anew in this Court. The last submission advanced on behalf of the appellant is, also, in our considered opinion, of no substance. Section 3A which has been E introduced by West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1981 is quoted hereinbelow:_ "3-A. Rights of all non-agricultural tenants and under. tenants in non-agricultural land to vest in the State-(1) The rights of all non-agricultural tenants and under• , f tenants under the West Bengal Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1949 (West Bengal Act XX of 1949), shall vest in the State free from all incumbrances and the provisions of sec> lions 4, 5 and 5A of Chapter II of the West Bengal Estates, - Acquisition Act, 1953 (West Bengal Act I of 1954), shall, with such modification as may be necessary, apply mutatis () -mutandis to non-agricultural tenants and under-tenants within the meaning of the West Bengal Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1949 as if such non-agricultural tenants and under-tenants were intermediaries and the land held by them were estates and a person holding under a mm- agricultural tenant or under-tenant were a raiyat. Ii 8 406 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1989) I S.C.R. (2) On the vesting of the estates and rights of inter­ mediaries in any non-agricultural land under sub-section (!),the provisions of Chapter IIS of this Act shall apply. (3) Every intermediary whose estates or interests have vested in the State under sub-section (1), shall be entitled to receive an amount to be determined in accordance with the provisions of section 14V of this Act." The said section refers to the vesting of the interest of non­ agricultural tenants by treating them as intermediaries and a right of retention of such non-agricultural lands within the ceiling limit has been provided therein. This provision has nothing to do with the ques­ tions involved in this appeal. There is nothing to show that the non­ agricultural land in plot No. 115/852 has vested in the State and the same has not been retained by the owner nor there is any thing to show that the original owner, Sarai Chandra Dutta had in his possession non-agricultural land exceeding the ceiling limits even assuming for arguments sake that the land in question is non-agricultural land. But we have held hereinbefore that the land being homestead of an ag­ riculturist is agricultural land. Therefore, the amended provision of Section 3-A of the said Act does not require consideration in the instant appeal in the background of the facts and circumstances of the case and the issues involved herein. The submission made on behalf of the appellant that the matter should be sent back to the trial court for giving the defendant an opportunity to raise issues on the amended provision for hearing and deciding the same by the court, is not tenable. In the circumstances it is needless to consider the decision in Dwarka Nath Prasad Atal v. Ram Rati Devi (supra). In that case an application was filed under Section 24 of West Bengal Non­ Agricultural Tenancy Act asking for pre-emption in respect of the property mentioned in Schedule A of the application. The appellant resisted the respondent's claim for pre-emption on various grounds including ihe ground that the property involved in the proceedings being agricultural land civil court in which the respondent had filed her application for pre-emption had no jurisdiction to entertain the appli­ cation for pre-emption by reason of the provisions of the West Bengal Land 'Reforms Act. The learned Subordinate Judge held that the property involved in the proceeding was agricultural land and so Section 24 of West Bengal Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act was not attracted and civil court had no jurisdiction to entertain the applica­ tion. The application was dismissed. The order was set aside on appeal holding that the land was non-agricultural land and the, Subordina.te ·~· t i ABDULLA KABIR v. MD. NASIRUDDJN [RAY, J.] 407 Judge had jurisdiction to entertain the application. The judgment A having been confirmed in appeal by the High Court of Calcutta, the petitioner filed an appeal on special leave before this Court. It had been held that since the judgment was rendered only on the prelimi­ nary question whether the court had jurisdiction to entertain the appli­ cation and the other issues raised therein were not decided by the trial B court, the lower appellate court over-ruled the said finding but instead of remanding the matter to the trial court for decision on the other issues, disposed of the matter on merits whereas on the other issues the appella])t might desire to lead evidence but that opportunity was denied to him. It was in the interest of justice that the appellant should be afforded an opportunity of being heard on the other issues. In that view of the matter the case was remanded for disposal. The decision in C Luigi Ambrosini, Ltd. v. Bakare Tinko and Another (supra) does not apply to this case as the facts of that case are different from the facts of the instant case. As stated hereinbefore that this ruling has no application to the facts of this case inasmuch as the application was not decided on a preliminary issue but the same has been decided on all the issues raised. Therefore, there is no question for remanding the matter for decision on the other issues. We therefore, find no substance in this contention advanced by the learned counsel for the appellant. For the reasons aforesaid we do not find any infirmity nor any illegality in the findings arrived at by the High Court. We, therefore, dismiss .this appeal and uphold the judgment and order of the High Court. In the facts and circumstances of the case, there will be no order as to costs. N.V.K. Appeal dismissed.