Md. Abdul Shafi and Ors. Vs State of West Bengal and Ors. — Calcutta HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Md. Abdul Shafi and Ors. Vs State of West Bengal and Ors. — Calcutta HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction to the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri (added respondent) to dispose of Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025 as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a server copy of the order; cause-title amended to add the said officer as party-respondent.

Issue for consideration

Whether the Court should direct the respondent authorities to dispose of the pending Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025 within a specified time frame.

Court's answer

Without entering into the merits of Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025, the writ petition stands disposed of by directing the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri, the added respondent, to dispose of the appeal as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a server copy of the order.

Ratio / Principle

Leave granted to the petitioners' Advocate-on-record to add the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri as a party-respondent and to amend the cause-title here and now; since the State is represented by its learned advocates, no service of the writ petition on the added respondent is required, but a copy of the amended cause-title is to be supplied to Mr. Bandyopadhyay, learned Senior Government Advocate, forthwith.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Single-Judge order dated 15.01.2026 by Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, J. in WPA 27970 of 2025, Md. Abdul Shafi & Ors. v. State of West Bengal & Ors. Leave was granted to add the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri as a party-respondent and to amend the cause-title here and now; as the State is represented by its learned advocates, no service of the writ petition on the added respondent was required, subject to supply of a copy of the amended cause-title to Mr. Bandyopadhyay, learned Senior Government Advocate, forthwith. The petitioners had sought a direction to dispose of Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025, filed before the Additional District Magistrate (LR) and District Land and Land Reforms Officer, Birbhum, pending till date and presently assigned to the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri, with January 15, 2026 fixed for hearing. Without entering into the merits of the appeal, the writ petition was disposed of by directing the added respondent to dispose of Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025 as expeditiously as possible, preferably within eight weeks from the date of receipt of a server copy of the order.

Court No. 19

WPA 27970 of 2025

(265719)

15.01.2026 (A 55)

Md. Abdul Shafi & Ors. Vs. State of West Bengal & Ors.

(S. Banerjee)

Mr. Haradhan Mondal Mr. Soumitra Bandyopadhyay Ms. Suchana Banerjee

…for the petitioners

…for the State

On the prayer of the learned advocate appearing for the petitioners, leave is granted to the learned Advocate-on-record of the petitioners to add the SubDivisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri as a party-respondent in this writ petition.

Let the cause-title of the writ petition be suitably amended by the learned Advocate-on-record of the petitioners here and now.

Since the State is represented by its learned advocates, there is no necessity to cause service of a copy of the writ petition upon the added respondent.

However, the learned Advocate-on-record of the petitioners shall be obliged to supply a copy of the amended cause-title of the writ petition upon Mr. Bandyopadhyay, learned Senior Government Advocate, forthwith.

2

The petitioners have sought for a direction upon the respondent authorities to dispose of Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025 which was filed before the Additional District Magistrate (LR) and District Land and Land Reforms Officer, Birbhum. The grievance of the petitioners is that till date the said appeal is pending. Learned advocate appearing for the petitioners further submits that the said appeal has been presently assigned to the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri and today, i.e., January 15, 2026 is the date fixed for hearing of such appeal. Learned advocate appearing for the petitioners prays that the said appeal be disposed of within a specified time frame.

Mr. Bandyopadhyay, learned Senior

Government Advocate, submits that the said appeal shall be disposed of within the time limit as may be fixed by this Court.

Without entering into the merits of the Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025, this writ petition stands disposed of by directing the Sub-Divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer, Suri, being the added respondent to dispose of the Misc. Appeal No. 1357 of 2025 as expeditiously as possible but preferably within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a server copy of this order.

(Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, J.)