Shivchand Ram Vs The State of Bihar — Patna HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Shivchand Ram Vs The State of Bihar — Patna HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Respondent No. 2, the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua), directed to dispose of the petitioners' representation dated 13.01.2026 within four weeks of receipt/production of a copy of the order, in accordance with law; with that observation/direction the writ petition and any interlocutory application(s) stand disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents could be directed not to construct a Government building over the piece of land which the petitioners claimed to possess as Parchadharis. +2 more

Court's answer

No direction restraining construction of the Government building over the disputed land was issued; the relief was confined to disposal of the pending representation, and with that observation/direction the writ petition stood disposed of.

Ratio / Principle

Both remedies are different and distinct: the judicial remedy in the pending Title Suit will ultimately determine the petitioners' right over the land on the strength of the Parcha and whether cancellation and consequent eviction is legally tenable, whereas the representation before the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector seeks redressal of their grievances and alleged atrocities by local authorities; the pendency of the Title Suit therefore does not preclude redressal through the representation.

Key takeaways

The District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua)/respondent No. 2 is directed to dispose of the representation dated 13.01.2026 preferred by the petitioners within four weeks from receipt/production of a copy of the order, in accordance with law.ratio¶37

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Judicature at Patna (Rana Vikram Singh, J.) — Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.8026 of 2026, decided 01-07-2026 (NAFR; uploaded 04.07.2026). Four residents of Village Kauriram (one cause-list entry spelling 'Kaudiram'), P.S. Mohania, District Kaimur (Bhabhua), claiming possession as Parchadharis on Parchas said to have been issued in 1988 (Khata No. 48, Khesra No. 243, area 25 decimal; Jamabandi created; rent regularly paid), prayed for directions restraining respondents from constructing a Government building on the land, alleging forcible dispossession by the District Administration. Their Title Suit No. 899 of 2023 challenging the eviction was pending before the Civil Judge, Senior Division, Mohania (Bhabhua); a representation filed before the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua) on 13.01.2026 remained undecided. Holding the judicial remedy in the Title Suit — which will test the petitioners' right over the land on the strength of the Parcha and the legal tenability of cancellation and eviction — distinct from the administrative grievance-redressal route before the Collector, the Court held that pendency of the suit did not bar redressal of the grievances, directed respondent No. 2 to dispose of the representation dated 13.01.2026 within four weeks of receipt/production of a copy of the order in accordance with law, and disposed of the writ petition and any interlocutory applications. No restraint was imposed on the construction; no statute or precedent was cited.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.8026 of 2026

======================================================

Shivchand Ram Son of Late Kishun Ram, Resident of Village- Kaudiram, P.S.- Mohania, District- Kaimur.

Ghasi Ram, Son of Sri Kumar Ram, Resident of Village- Kauriram, P.S.Mohania, District- Kaimur (Bhabhua) Bihar 821109.

Sunaina Devi, Wife of Rama Shankar Ram, Resident of Village- Kauriram, P.S.- Mohania, District- Kaimur at Bhabhua Bihar 821109.

Balister Ram, Son of Ramgati Ram, Resident of Village- Kauriram, P.S.Mohania, District- Kaimur at Bhabhua.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

The State of Bihar through the Collector, Kaimur at Bhabhua.

The Collector, Kaimur at Bhabhua.

The Sub Divisional Officer, Mohania Kaimur.

The Circle Officer, Bhabhua.

... ... Respondent/s

======================================================

Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Arvind Kumar, Adv. For the Respondent/s : Ms. Shweta Anand, AC to GP-13

======================================================

CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RANA VIKRAM SINGH ORAL JUDGMENT

Date : 01-07-2026

Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

The present writ application has been

preferred for directing the respondents not to construct the Government building over the piece of land upon which

Patna High Court CWJC No.8026 of 2026 dt.01-07-2026 2/5

the petitioners claimed to be the Parchadharis of the same.

The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that on the strength of the Parchas issued in the year 1988, the petitioners have been coming over the possession of the land in question, situated in VillageKauriram, bearing Khata No. 48, Khesra No. 243 having an area of 25 decimal, and Jamabandi has also been created in their names and they have regularly been paying rent. The learned counsel for the petitioners further submits that the petitioners, who are landless persons, have been residing over the said piece of land since long back on the strength of the Parchas issued by the competent authority, have been dispossessed forcibly by the District Administration for construction of the Government building over the same.

The learned counsel for the petitioners also highlights that the petitioners have preferred a Title Suit, bearing No. 899 of 2023, which is pending in the Court of learned Civil Judge, Senior Division, Mohania (Bhabhua) for adjudication

The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State submits and highlights that since the petitioners

Patna High Court CWJC No.8026 of 2026 dt.01-07-2026 3/5

have already preferred a proper remedy available to them in law by filing a Title Suit before the competent Court of civil jurisdiction, they have no right to avail the simultaneous relief in the writ jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.

It is evident from the records that the petitioners have already preferred a Title Suit challenging their forceful eviction from the land over which they are claiming possession on the strength of Purcha, is pending before the competent Court of civil jurisdiction and for the same they have also filed representation, detailing the facts and circumstances of their case, before the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua) on 13.01.2026, but the same appears to have fallen on deaf ears as the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector has still not decided the same, forcing the petitioners to approach this Court under writ jurisdiction.

It is not in dispute that the petitioners have already availed the proper remedy by preferring Title Suit, questioning their eviction from the land which they possess and have been residing on the strength of Parcha duly issued to them, which is still sub-judice before the

Patna High Court CWJC No.8026 of 2026 dt.01-07-2026 4/5

competent Court of civil jurisdiction, which has to decide the same on the basis of the evidence brought before it by the respective parties, but, in the meantime, on account of them being homeless and landless, the petitioners approached the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua) (respondent No. 2) by filing a representation, highlighting their grievances, with a prayer to take a proper decision for redressal of their grievances.

Both the remedies are different and distinct. The remedy before the Court of competent civil jurisdiction is of judicial nature, which would, ultimately, determine the right of the petitioners to have a claim over the land on the strength of the Parcha and whether cancellation of the same and consequent eviction of the petitioners from that piece of land is legally tenable or not, is totally a different subject matter, whereas, before the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua), the petitioners have come with the prayer to look into their grievances and alleged atrocities by the local authorities, which, in their estimation, could only be addressed and redressed by the District Magistrate-Cum-Collector of the concerned district.

Patna High Court CWJC No.8026 of 2026 dt.01-07-2026 5/5

Thus, the District Magistrate-Cum-

Collector, Kaimur (Bhabua)/respondent No. 2 is, accordingly, directed to dispose off the representation dated 13.01.2026 preferred by the petitioners within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order in accordance with law.

With the aforesaid observation/direction, the writ petition stands disposed off.

Interlocutory application(s), if any, also stands disposed off.

(Rana Vikram Singh, J)

Praveen-II/-

AFR/NAFR NAFR CAV DATE N/A Uploading Date 04.07.2026 Transmission Date N/A