was allowed as permissible area and the area measuring 7.8736 hectares, which was earlier declared surplus, was not touched and the remaining area measuring 4.0209 hectares was declared surplus. Against order dated 04.05.1978, petitioner filed an appeal before the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, which was accepted on 06.04.1983 and the case was remanded to the Collector Agrarian for fresh decision. On remand the Collector vide order dated 18.04.1984 upheld the order of his predecessor dated 04.05.1978. Against this order too, petitioner filed an appeal before the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division which was dismissed on 16.02.1987. The Collector, Agrarian thereafter initiated proceedings under Section 9(ii) of the Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972. On the other hand, Raja Ram and others filed an appeal before the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, which was accepted by the Commissioner on 01.08.1988 and the case was remanded to the Collector to decide the case on merits after hearing the appellants therein. The Collector Agrarian, Fazilka vide order dated 28.12.1988 upheld the earlier order dated 18.04.1984. The petitioner filed an appeal before the Commissioner, Ferozepur Division on the ground that no notice was issued by the Collector to the petitioner. It was also stated that reservation of land could not be changed without hearing the landowner. After hearing the counsel for the petitioner and examining the record, Commissioner observed that it is wrong to say that earlier the Commissioner had directed the Collector to hear the landowner and the
