Kartik Ram v. the State of Jharkhand

Jharkhand HC24 Feb 2026WPC/1199/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Jharkhand High Court writ petition 2026: current rent receipt; no power to cancel mutation; Raiyati land; Deputy Commissioner Koderma Memo No. 2620 dated 29/09/2011; land-nature and title disputes resolvable only by competent civil court; State cannot act as judge in its own case; rent receipts issued till 2004-05; pending representation 08.09.2025; certiorari; mandamus; Circle Officer Koderma Anchal; Mouza Gumo; Khata 220/675; contempt allegation re court orders incl. W.P.(C) No. 7259 of 2023.

What did the court decide?

Respondent authority directed to issue up-to-date current rent receipt to the petitioners within eight weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of the order; writ petition disposed of with this direction. ¶¶32

Kartik Ram Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents, especially the Deputy Commissioner and Circle Officer, Koderma, must issue up-to-date current rent receipts for the petitioners' Raiyati land notwithstanding the Deputy Commissioner's general order dated 29/09/2011 (Memo No. 2620) restraining issuance of current rent receipts in Koderma district. +1 more

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Court's answer

There is no power in the authority concerned to cancel the mutation.

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Ratio / Principle

Disputes regarding the nature of land and title can only be resolved by a competent civil court; the State cannot be allowed to act as a Judge in its own case, and if the State disputes any fact it is free to get the matter settled through the competent civil court.

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Key takeaways

On the above factual matrix and settled law, the writ petition is allowed and the respondent authority is directed to issue up-to-date current rent receipt to the petitioners within eight weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of the order; the petition accordingly stands disposed of.ratio¶¶31

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ petition allowed (High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi; Rajesh Kumar, J.; 24th February, 2026). The Court held that revenue authorities have no power to cancel mutation, that disputes as to the nature of land and title can only be resolved by a competent civil court, and that the State cannot act as a Judge in its own case — a disputing State must take the matter to the competent civil court. Accordingly, despite the Deputy Commissioner, Koderma's general order dated 29/09/2011 contained in Memo No. 2620 restraining issuance of current rent receipts of Raiyati land in the district, the respondent authority was directed to issue up-to-date current rent receipts for the petitioners' land (Khata No.-220/675, Plots 6211/6615 and 6211/6617, Mouza-Gumo, Thana No.-12, Thana Telaiya, 1.70 acres, District Koderma) within eight weeks. The land was already mutated in the petitioners' names with rent receipts issued till 2004-05; their representation dated 08.09.2025 remained pending.

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2026:JHHC:5425

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI

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(Civil Writ Jurisdiction)

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W.P. (C) No.1199 of 2026

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1. Kartik Ram, aged about 53 years, Son of Late Chamari Ram,

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2. Kanti Devi, aged about 52 years, W/o – Late Shibu Ram, Both residents of Village – Nawada Basti, Ward No.19, P.O.-Jhumri Telaiya, P.S.-Telaiya, District – Koderma. …. Petitioner(s)

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Versus

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1. The State of Jharkhand

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2. Deputy Commissioner, Koderma, P.O., P.S. & District- Koderma.

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3. Circle Officer, Koderma Anchal, Koderma, P.O-Jhumri Telaiya Koderma. …. …. Respondent(s)

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR

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For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. Ashok Kr. Sinha, Adv. Ms. Kumari Priyambada, Adv. For the Respondent(s) : Mr. Sanket Khanna, A.C. to A.A.G.-V

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02/Dated: 24^th February, 2026

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1. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

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2. The present writ petition has been filed for following reliefs:-

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“A. For issuance of an appropriate writ(s), order(s) and/or direction(s), particularly a writ in the nature of certiorari for quashing of the Order dated 29/09/2011 contained in Memo No. 2620 (Annexure-2) issued under the signature of Deputy Commissioner, Koderma whereby and where under general order has been passed restraining the issuance of current rent receipt of Raiyati Land situated at various Mauza of Koderma District without taking into consideration the fact that the land of petitioner is Raiyati Land in nature and rent receipt has already been issued by the Revenue Authority of the Koderma District in favour of the petitioner till the year 2004-05.

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B. For issuance of an appropriate writ(s), order(s) and/ or direction(s), particularly a writ in the nature of Mandamus commanding upon the concerned respondent especially Respondent No. 3 i.e. Circle Officer to issue current rent receipt of the lands pertaining to Khata No.-220/675, Plot No.6211/6615 and 6211/6617, Mouza- Gumo, Thana No.-12, Thana Telaiya, measuring to an area of 1.70 Acres of land situated at District Koderma and pass appropriate Order upon the pending representation dated 08.09.2025 (Annexure -5) of the petitioners, taking into consideration the various Orders passed by this Hon'ble Court recent being order passed in W.P.(C) No. 7259 of 2023 being Order dated 18/04/2024 as the Respondent

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2026:JHHC:5425

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authorities especially the Respondent No-2 & 3 are in Contempt of Court by violating the various Orders passed by the Hon'ble Court by still not passing appropriate order upon the pending representation in view of the Order passed by the Deputy Commissioner, Koderma pursuant to Order dated 29/09/2011 contained in Memo No. 2620 which has already been set aside by the Hon'ble Court on various occasions as apparent from the various Orders passed by this Hon'ble Court as Annexed herewith.

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C. For issuance of an appropriate writ(s), order(s) and/or direction(s), particularly a writ in the nature of Mandamus commanding upon the concerned respondents not to take any coercive step against the land of the petitioners that to without initiating any proceeding under law and without giving any opportunity of hearing.

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AND

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D. For issuance of a direction upon the respondents to pass appropriate Order upon the pending representation dated 08/09/2025 of the petitioners. ”

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3. The description of land is as follows:-

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The lands pertaining to Khata No.-220/675, Plot No.- 6211/6615 and 6211/6617, Mouza- Gumo, Thana No.-12, Thana Telaiya, measuring to an area of 1.70 Acres of land situated at District Koderma.

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4. It has been brought on record and also admitted by the State that the land got mutated in the names of the petitioners and they have been provided the rent receipts also.

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5. It is settled principle of law that there is no power in the authority concerned to cancel the mutation. The dispute regarding the nature of land and title has been raised. This can be only resolved by a competent civil court. But State cannot be allowed to act as a Judge in its own case. If State is disputing any fact, he is free to get the matter settled through the competent civil court.

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6. In view of above factual matrix and the settled law, the present writ petition is, hereby, allowed directing the respondent authority to issue up-to-date current rent receipt to the petitioners within eight weeks from the date of receipt/production of copy of this order.

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7. With above observation and direction, the present writ petition stands disposed of.

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(Rajesh Kumar, J.)

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Dated: 24^th February, 2026 Amar/Uploaded on 27.02.2026

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Page | 2

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W.P. (C) No.1199 of 2026

Kartik Ram v. the State of Jharkhand

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Kartik Ram v. the State of Jharkhand

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Cases cited

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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