Panchayat but as it was donated to the petitioners' father, who has constructed a house, the land no longer vests in the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat did not file any appeal. Mohinder Singh, a Panch, of the Gram Panchayat, filed an appeal, which was allowed by the appellate authority and the order passed by the Collector was set aside. The argument that as the Gram Panchayat did not file any appeal, the appellate authority could not entertain the appeal, at the behest of a private person, merits summary rejection. The plea of locus-standi , particularly, when raised in a case of illegal appropriation of public property, cannot be a ground to reject a bonafide appeal. Admittedly, the land in dispute is recorded as the ownership of the Gram Panchayat. The Collector has recorded a finding that, though, the land belongs to the Gram Panchayat, it was donated to the petitioners' father and as he has constructed a house, the land, no longer belongs to the Gram Panchayat The finding, recorded by the Collector, is not based upon any evidence, much less a resolution passed by the Gram Panchayat gifting the land to the petitioners' father. The order passed by the Collector was, therefore, rightly set aside by the Appellate Authority. An argument that as the petitioners have constructed a house they are protected by Section 4 of the Act, is legally incorrect. Section 4 of the Act protects houses of non-proprietors that were constructed before the enactment of
