Bhagwan Das v. the State of Punjab
Case brief
What is this about?
Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act 1953; small landowner status fixed by evaluation of land at commencement of Act (April 5, 1953), not at date of s. 9(1)(i)/s. 14-A ejectment application; subsequent improvements and consolidation re-allotment irrelevant; permissible area vs surplus area; standard acres conversion; s. 19-F(a) and retrospective s. 19-F(b) (Punjab Act 14 of 1962) valuation provisions; displaced person allottee of 42 standard acres 11 units; tenant's Article 227 writ petition; Civil Appeal No. 541 of 1963; appeal allowed, High Court order set aside, Financial Commissioner restored; judgments of Bachawat J. (with Subba Rao J.) and Mudholkar J. (concurring).
What did the court decide?
Appeal allowed; order of the Punjab High Court set aside and that of the Financial Commissioner restored (upholding the orders of the Commissioner and the Collector); costs throughout directed to be borne by the parties as incurred.