# [1979] 1 S.C.R. 95

- **Citation:** [1979] 1 S.C.R. 95
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1978-08-11
- **Case number:** Civil Appeal No. 260 of 1969
- **Bench:** S. Murtaza Fazal Ali, P. N. Shinghal
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/1979-1-s-c-r-95-7552
- **Pages:** 12

## Headnote

95
Rajasthan Land Refornis and Resumption of Jagirs Act 1952
(No. VJ of
1952)-Ss. 46 and 47-The Act ousts the jurisdiction of Civil and Revenue
Courts-·State claimed certain recoveries from the Jagirdar out of conzpensation
payable to hbn-No proper account of dues produced-Jagir Commissioner
rejected State's claim-State sought to recover dues under Ss. 229/257A of the
Rajasthan Land Revenue Act 1956-Recoveries if could be mclde.
The Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952 which provides for the resumption of jagir lands and1 other measures of land reforms, contains ai comprehensive scheme for the determination of the amount of dues and
debts recoverable by the State from the Jagirdar in respect of the jagir 13:nds and
their deduction from the amount of compensation payable to him. Sections 22
A
B
c
to 31 read' together provide for the continuance of the Jagirdar's liability to the
payment of arrea•rs of revenue, cesses and other dues which were due from: him
D
in respect of the jagir lands for any period prior to the date of resumption of
the jagir, out of the compensation payable to him. A duty has been cast on the
jagirdar to n1entioo, in the statemf!ht of his claim for compensation the amount
of dues and debts recoverable from him under s. 22( 1) (e).
Section 32( I)
n1akes it obliga.tory on the Jagir Commissioner to provisionally determine the
amount of compensation recoverable from the Jagirdar under s. 22(1)(c) and
serve a copy of the provisional order on the Government, the Jagirdar and E
every other interested person. It is only after giving all of them a reasonable
opportunity that the J agir Commissioner can m.ake a final order. The order so
made under s. 32(2) would be final in respect of the amounts mentioned in it.
Section 34 provides for the deduction of the amounts determined by the Commissioner, from the compensation payable to the Jagirdar under s. 26. Section
35 deals with pa•yment of compensation. Section 39 provides for appe<i.ls against
F•
any de.cision of the Jagir Commissioner, to the Board of Revenue according to
which the decision of the Board in the: appeal shall be final. Section 46 provides
that no order made by any officer or authority under the Act shall be called in
question in any civil or revenue court.
Under the provisions of the Act, the lands belonging to the respondent, who
was ai Jagirdar in the State of Rajasthan, vested in the State. \Vhen the Jagtr
..
Commissioner took up the question of deciding the compensation payaOie to the
G
respondent, the State filed a claim that a certain amount was recoverable flom
the compensation payable to the Jagirdar on account of revenue dues etc. liut
since the Sta·te was not able to give a proper account of the due~. the Jagir Com1
missioner made an order that the amount claimed by fue State could not be
1
deducted. The Board of Revenue dismissed the State GovenimenCs appeal and,
therefore, the order of the Jagir Commissioner bocame final.
In the meanwhile, when the Tehsildar sought to recover the dues from the
respondent, he raised an objectioil' that since the J agir Comn1issioner's order
became final the Government was not competent to claim that amount.
The
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(1979] I S.C.R.
Tehsildar rejected the objection. In the respondent's appeal, the Board of Reve-·
nue quashed the order of the Tehsildar on the ground that the State Governni~fit
did not furnish the required particulars in spite of sever~l opporttinities gi v-en
to it when the matter was before him and that the Jagir Commissioner waSi right
in rejecting the claim of the State. lt also held that since his order became final,
proceedings to have the recovery of the dues under the Land Revenue Act..
\Vere without jurisdiction.
The High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by the State 9overnment.
It held that the determination of the dues a·nd debts recoverable: by
the State
front the J2.girdar was a matter which was required to be settle

## Text

•
•
STATE OF RAJASTHAN
y,
RAO RAJA SARDAR SINGH
August 11, 1978
[S. MURTAZA FAZAL ALI AND P. N. SHINGHAL, JJ.]
95
Rajasthan Land Refornis and Resumption of Jagirs Act 1952
(No. VJ of
1952)-Ss. 46 and 47-The Act ousts the jurisdiction of Civil and Revenue
Courts-·State claimed certain recoveries from the Jagirdar out of conzpensation
payable to hbn-No proper account of dues produced-Jagir Commissioner
rejected State's claim-State sought to recover dues under Ss. 229/257A of the
Rajasthan Land Revenue Act 1956-Recoveries if could be mclde.
The Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952 which provides for the resumption of jagir lands and1 other measures of land reforms, contains ai comprehensive scheme for the determination of the amount of dues and
debts recoverable by the State from the Jagirdar in respect of the jagir 13:nds and
their deduction from the amount of compensation payable to him. Sections 22
A
B
c
to 31 read' together provide for the continuance of the Jagirdar's liability to the
payment of arrea•rs of revenue, cesses and other dues which were due from: him
D
in respect of the jagir lands for any period prior to the date of resumption of
the jagir, out of the compensation payable to him. A duty has been cast on the
jagirdar to n1entioo, in the statemf!ht of his claim for compensation the amount
of dues and debts recoverable from him under s. 22( 1) (e).
Section 32( I)
n1akes it obliga.tory on the Jagir Commissioner to provisionally determine the
amount of compensation recoverable from the Jagirdar under s. 22(1)(c) and
serve a copy of the provisional order on the Government, the Jagirdar and E
every other interested person. It is only after giving all of them a reasonable
opportunity that the J agir Commissioner can m.ake a final order. The order so
made under s. 32(2) would be final in respect of the amounts mentioned in it.
Section 34 provides for the deduction of the amounts determined by the Commissioner, from the compensation payable to the Jagirdar under s. 26. Section
35 deals with pa•yment of compensation. Section 39 provides for appe<i.ls against
F•
any de.cision of the Jagir Commissioner, to the Board of Revenue according to
which the decision of the Board in the: appeal shall be final. Section 46 provides
that no order made by any officer or authority under the Act shall be called in
question in any civil or revenue court.
Under the provisions of the Act, the lands belonging to the respondent, who
was ai Jagirdar in the State of Rajasthan, vested in the State. \Vhen the Jagtr
..
Commissioner took up the question of deciding the compensation payaOie to the
G
respondent, the State filed a claim that a certain amount was recoverable flom
the compensation payable to the Jagirdar on account of revenue dues etc. liut
since the Sta·te was not able to give a proper account of the due~. the Jagir Com1
missioner made an order that the amount claimed by fue State could not be
1
deducted. The Board of Revenue dismissed the State GovenimenCs appeal and,
therefore, the order of the Jagir Commissioner bocame final.
In the meanwhile, when the Tehsildar sought to recover the dues from the
respondent, he raised an objectioil' that since the J agir Comn1issioner's order
became final the Government was not competent to claim that amount.
The
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS
(1979] I S.C.R.
Tehsildar rejected the objection. In the respondent's appeal, the Board of Reve-·
nue quashed the order of the Tehsildar on the ground that the State Governni~fit
did not furnish the required particulars in spite of sever~l opporttinities gi v-en
to it when the matter was before him and that the Jagir Commissioner waSi right
in rejecting the claim of the State. lt also held that since his order became final,
proceedings to have the recovery of the dues under the Land Revenue Act..
\Vere without jurisdiction.
The High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by the State 9overnment.
It held that the determination of the dues a·nd debts recoverable: by
the State
front the J2.girdar was a matter which was required to be settled by the .lagir
Commissioner and that by virtue of s. 46 of the1 Act, a Civil or Revenue Court
>
had no jurisdiction in respect of it.
On the question. whether the Jagir Commissioner's order was
final anll
whether any Civil or Revenue Court had jurisdiction to reopen it, a.s it related
to a matter which was required to be settled or decided or dealt with by th!?'
Jagir Commissioner,
Dismissing the appeal,
HELD : The High Court was right in raising the bar of s. 46 and holding
that no CiVil or Revenue. Court had jurisdiction in respect of tlie coiltroverSy as
it was a matter which had in fact been finally
decided by the Jagir Comnus~
sioner and the Board of Revenue under the provisions of the Act. The belated
nttempt by the State to get over the bar by instituting proceedings under s. 229
or s. 257~A of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act was illegal and \.Vas rightly set
aside by the Board. The objections a·gainst it had no nlerit and had rightly been
rejected by the High Court.
[104D-E]
The provisions of the Act are quite adequate and comprehensive and read
\Vi th the relev<?ont rules, provide for the determination and. recovery of the amounts
due from the Jagirdar on account of the Jagir lands. This had to be so, because
~'hen the Act provides for the resumption of the ja-gir lands it is fair and reasonable that it should make provision for the determination and
recovery of the
amount recoverable from the Jagirdar.
T·he provisions of that Act are a Comprehensive code concerning the liability of the Jagirdar.
[1030-E]
There is no force in the contention that the resolution of the Jaipur state
Council was a• final adjudication of the liability of the Jagirdar and th<it, being
in the nature of a decree, the Jagir Commissioner's order was illegal. The Jagirdar denied any knowledge of the resolution.
When the Jagir Commissiorier
undertook the enquiry, the State did not produce the resolution and, therefore.
he dismissed the claim of the State.
[104F-H, 105A-B]
There is. also no force in the contention that s. 34 is not a bar to civil aclion
because in a given case the amount of compensation might fall short of the
amount recoverable from the Jagirdar.
Such possibility could not arise in this
case. The con1pensation payable to the .Jagirdar was far in excess of his .I1ab1~
lity to the State. The Act casts a duty on the Jagir c·ommissioner to take necessa·ry steps for the adjustment of the recovery and further recovery of the bala·nce,
if any, that might remain outstanding agai1,1st the Jagirdar. There could, therefore, be no occasion for the recovery of any ba·lance of revenue dues by civil'.
action in this case.
[105C-F]
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RAJASTHAN v. RAO SARDAR SINGH (Shinghal, J.)
9 7
Ulla! Venkatrava Kini v. Louis Souza, AIR 1960 Mysore 209; G.
Venkaiti·
chala Odavar v. Ra1nachandra Odavar & Anr., AIR 1961 Mad. 423; Kulandaiswa1ni Madurai & Ors. v.
Murugayya Madurai & Ors., AIR
1969 Mad. 14;
Ranzeshwar Prasad & Ors. v. Satya Narain & Ors., AIR 1954 All. 115, Gurba-
.Iappa Mahadel'appa v. Neel-Kanthappa Shivappa, AIR 1951 Born. 136; A. R.
Sarin v. B. C. Patil & Anr .. AIR 1951 Born. 423; Shivrhankar Prasad Shah &
Ors. v. Baik1mt11 Nath SinRll & Ors., [1969] 3 SCR 908 held inapplicable.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 260 of 1969.
From the Judgment and Order dated 13-3-1968 of the Rajasthan
High Court in D.B, Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 205 of 1965.
Dr. L. M. Singhvi and U. P. Singh for the Appellant.
B
R. K. Garg, B. P. Agarwal, V. J. Francis and Madan Mohan for
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the Respondent.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
SmNGHAL, J.-The State of Rajasthan has filed this appeal by certificate 'against the judgment of the Rajasthan High Court dated March
13, 1968, by which its writ petition for quashing the order of the
D>
Boord of Revenue, Rajasthan, Ajmer, dated
January 13, 1964.
in case No. l I 1962/Tonk "to enable the petitioner" to recover
Rs. 5,94,215.30, "according to law" was dismissed.
It was stated in the writ petition that the lands of the
Uniara
jagir, in Aligarh tehsil of Tonk district, vested in the Rajasthan State
on their resumption under the provision of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952, hereinafter referred to as
the Act.
The Jagir Commissioner therefrom took up the question of
determining the compensation which was payable to Rao Raja Sarda:c
Singh who was then the jagirdar o( Uniara. In that connection a certificate was filed before the Jagir Commissioner in Form 10 under rule
E"
37-C of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Rules •.
1954, certifying that a sum of Rs. 5,49,234/12/3 should be recovered
from the jagirdar's compensation and rehabilitation grant on account
of "revenue dues". The jagirdar raised several objections before the
Jagir Commissioner, but it was urged on behalf of the State that the
sum of Rs. 5.49,234/12/3 was the unpaid amount of the liability of G:
Rs. 5,54,226/13/6, which was payable under a resolution of
the
Jaipur State Council dated July l, 1936. After adding the sum
of
Rs. 44.980.53 on account of arrears of tribute, the total realisable
amount was stated to be Rs. 5,94,215.30. As the State was not able:
to give a proper account of the dues, the Jagir Commissioner made an
order dated February 14, 1961, that the amount mentioned i_n the H
aforesaid certificate (in Form 10) could not be deducted.
An appeal
was filed against that order of the !agir Commissioner, to the Board.
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS '
[1979] 1 S.C.R.
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of Revenu~, but it was dismissed on October 15, 1963. The State
contended that it was challenging the decisions of the Jagir Commissioner and the Board of Revenue "in separate proceedings", but that
was not done and it is not in dispute before us that the Jagir Conunissioner's order dated February 14, 1961, which was upheld by the
B
Board's decision dated October 15, 1963, became final.
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In the meantime, the Tehsildar of Aligarh issued a demand notice
on November 3, 1961, which was revised on December 22, 1961,
for the recovery of Rs. 5,94,215.30 under section 229 of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act, 1956. The jagirdar raised an objection that
the Tehsildar had no jurisdiction to issue the demand notice because
of the Jagir Commissioner's earlier order dated Fcbrnary 14, 1961
(which had become final and binding on the parties after the Board's
judgment dated October 15, 1963), but the Tehsildar rejected it by
his order dated December 22, 1961. As the jagirdar did not pay the
amount which was claimed under the demand no;:ce,
proceedings
were started for attachment and sale of his property, and the jagirdar
made an application to the Board of Revenue for a revision of the
Tehsildar' order. It was allowed by the order of the Board dated
January 13, 1964. The Board took the' view that although the certificate for recovery had been sent to the Jagir Commissioner in Form
l 0, the required particulars were not ft1mished in spite of several
opportunities, and that as the State Government's
claim
for
the
recovery of the money had been completely rejected on an earlier
occasion by the Jagir Commissioner's order dated Febrnary 14, 1961,
and the Jagir Commissioner had refused to deduct that amount from
the compensation with reference
to
the
prov1s1ons
of
sections
22(l)(e), 32(1)(b) and 34 of the Act, the jurisdiction of
the
Revenue Court in respect of the same dnes was barred by section 46
of the Act and the proceedings which had been taken under section
257 A of the Rajasthap. Land Revenue Act were without jurisdiction.
As the Board quashed the order of the Tehsildar dated December 22,
1961, the State Government filed the writ petition, which has given
rfse to this appeal, in the High Court, for the recovery of the "revenue
dues" mentioned in the certificate in Form 10, and feels aggrieved
because of its dismissal by the impugned judgmsnt dated March 13,
1968.
It may be mentioned that the jagirdar traversed the State Government's claim in the writ petition altogether. He contended that he
never agreed to the Jaipur ~ta!e Council resolution of July I, 1936,
and he was never informed of the dues claimed by the State.
He
, denied that any amount was due on account of land revenue or tri-
-bute, and averred that no loan had been taken by the Uniara jagir
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RAJASTHAN V. RAO SARDAR SINGH (Shinghal, J.)
9,9
from the State Government. It was contended further that the Jagir
Commissioner wanted to make an inquiry into the State Government's
claim for the recovery of the amount stated in the certificate in Ferm
l 0, but the State did not produce the account or proof of the dues so
that the claim remained unexplained. That, according to the jagirdar,
A
was the reason why the Jagir Commissioner held in his order dated
B,
February 14, 1961, that the amount could not be deducted from the
compensation. As the appellate order of the Board of Revenue dated
October 15, 1963, upheld the Jagir Commissioner's order, it was
pleaded that it became final and conclusive and could not be challenged by taking up the proceedings under
the
Rajasthan
Land
Revenue Act which were in fact barred by section 46 of the Act.
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In its impugned judgment in the writ petition, the High Court has
taken the view that the determination of the State's dues was a matter
which was required to be settled, decided or dealt with by the Jagir
Commissioner and that, by virtue of section 46 of the Act, a Civil or
Revenue Court had no jurisdiction in respect of it. Reference has been
made to section 47 of the Act which provides that its provisions shall
have effect notwithstanding anything therein contained being inconsistent with any existing Jagir law or any other law for the time being
in force. The High Court has taken note of the prm1isions of section
34(2) of the Act also and has held that "no other authority, be it the
civil or the revenue court, can go behind" the Jagir Commissioner's
decision in that respect and make a recovery from the jagirdar by
setting at naught that Jagir Commissioner's order in that respect. The
High Court has thus upheld the Board's decision dated January I 3,
I 964, against the State of Rajasthan, by which the proceedings which
were taken for the recovery of the money under the Rajasthan Land
Revenue Act were quashed.
We find from th~ High Court's impugned judgment that the po;nt
of controversy there was whether the machinery provided under the
Rajasthan Land Revenue Act could not be resorted to in face of the
provisions of sections 46 and 4 7 of the Act. The High Court examined
that question only, and we shall confine ourselves to it.
The controversy thus is whether it was pennissible for the State to
recover the aforesaid arrears of "revenue dues" even after the Jagir
Commissioner's order dated February 14, 1961, under section 32(2)
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of the Act by which he clearly determined that the money was not
recoverable from the jagirdar under clause (e) of sub-section (1) of
section 22· of the Act and ordered that it may not be deducted from
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the final amonnt of the jagirdar's compensation. In tiler words, the
question is whether that order was final and no Civil or Revenue Court_
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS
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had jurisdiction to reopen it as it related to a
matter which
was
required to be settled or decided or dealt with by the Jagir Commissioner, or whether this was not so and the proceedings under
the
Rajasthan Land Revenue Act were competent? In order to arrive at
a decision, it will be necessary for us to refer to the relevant provisions
of the Act so that its scheme and scope may
be understood and
applied to the controversy.
The Act (No. VI of 1952) came into force with
effect
from
February 18, 1952. It· provides for the resumption of jagir lands and
other measures of land reforms, and eJ<tends to the whole of
the
State of Rajasthan. Section 2(g) of the Act defines "Jagirdar", and
it is not in controversy that Rao Raja Sardar Singh was the jagirdar
of the Uniara jagir at the relevant time. Clause (h) ·of section 2
defines "Jagir-land". Here again, it is not in dispute that the Uniara
jagir formed such land. Section 21 of the Act provides for the resumption of jagir lands on' the appointed date, and once again there is no
controversy that the jagir lands of Uniara were so resumed.
Section 22 of the Act stales the
consequences
of resumption.
Clause (e) of sub-section (1) of that sectfon provides as follows:-
" ( e) all arrears of revenue, cesses or other dues in respect
of any jagir land due from the jagirdar for any period
prior to the date of resumption including any sum
due from him under clause, ( d)
and
all
loans
advanced by the Government or the Court of Wards
to the jagirdar shall continue to be recoverable from
such jagirdar,"
The clause thus expressly provides for the jagirdar's
liability
to
pay, inter alia, all arrears of revenue, cesses or other dues in respect
of his jagir land. Section 30 deals with the recovery of such arrears
and we shall revert to it after making a reference to section 26 which
deals with the State Government's liability to pay compensation to
every jagirdar for the resumption of his jagir land.
That is the subject
matter of Chapter VI and section 30 thereof reads as follows :-
"30. Dues and Debts.-The amounts due from a jagirdar under clause ( e) of sub-section (1) of seetion 22 shall
be recoverable out of the compensation
payable to him
nnder section 26."
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Chapter VII deals with the payment of compensation.
Section
31
of that chapter requires every jagirdar to file a statement of claim. for
compensation before the Jagir Commissioner.
Item (v) of sub-section
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RAJASTHAN v. RAO SARDAR SINGH (Shinghal, J.)
10 I
(2) of that section provides that the statement of claim shall contain
A
the following particulars also :-
" ( v) the amount of dues and debts recoverable from the
jagirdar under clause ( e) of sub-section (I) of section 22;"
These provisions, read together, thus provide for the continuance of B
the jagirdar's liability to the payment of the arrears of revenue, cesses
and other dues, in respect of the jagir land, which wern due from him
for any period prior to the date of resumption of the jagir, out of the
compensation payable to him for the loss of the jagir lands, and a
duty has been cast on him to make a specific mention of the amount
of the dues and debts recoverable from him under section 22 ( l) ( e) , C
in the statement of his claim for compensation.
Then comes section 32 which deals with the determination of the
compensation after making such inquiry as the Jagir Commissioner
may deem necessary. Here again sub-section ( 1) of that section makes
it oblig:1tory for the, Jagir Commissioner I<? provisionally deitermine :-
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"\ b) the
amount
recoverable from the jagirdar under
clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 22 .... ".
Sub-se.;tion (2) requires that a copy of the, provisional order shall
be senred on ,the Government, the jagirdar and every other interested
person, and !he Jagir Commissioner shall, after giving all of them a
E
reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter, "make a final
order". That order would therefore be a final order in respect of the
aforesaid item (b) of the amount recoverable from the jagirdar under
clause ( e) of sub-section (1) of section 22 also. In other words, the
Act provides that the order under sub-section (2) of section 32 would
be final in respect of the items mentioned in it, including the amount
F
recoverable from the jagirdar under clause ( e) of sub-section ( !) of
section 22. Section 33 requires the Jagir Commissioner to communicate the "final order" under Section 32(2) to the Government, the .
jagirdar and every other interested person.
Next i• secti~n 34, which provides the mode for the recovery of
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the aforesaid dues. Sub-seclion (I) of that section is to !he following
effect:-
"34. Dues and
deductions how payable.-( 1) The
amounts recoverable from a jagirdar under clause ( e) of
sub-section (1) of section 22 and those determined in an
order made under snb-section (2) of section 32 shall
be
dedncted from the compensation payable to him under
Section 26."
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SUPREME CQURT REPORTS
[1979] 1 S.C.R.
Sub-section (2) of that section provides that the amount so finally
determined, namely, the amount recoverable, inter alia, under clause
(e) of sub-section (1) of section 22 shall be payable in instalments.
The sub-sections make clear reference to clause ( e) of sub-section
(1) of section 22 and section 32 in providing for the; deduction of the
amounts determined ~ereu,nder from the compensation payable to the
jagirdar under sectio1t:26, J
Section 35 deal§ with t~e payment of compensation. It will
be
sufficient for ns to rtif'fil"to the first two sub-sections which
read as
follows:-
"35. Payment of compensation.-(!) After the amount
of compensation payable to a jagirdar under section 26 is
finally determined under sub-section (2) of section 32 and
the amounts specified in clauses (b), ( c) and ( e) of that
section as finally determined are deducted therefrom,
the
balance shall be divided into fifteen equal annual instalments
or at the option of the jagirdar into thirty equal half-yearly
instalments.
(2) The amounts finally determined under each of the
clauses (b), (c) and (e) of sub-section (1) of section 32
shall be deducted and paid to each of the persons entitled
thereto from every instalment refemxl to in sub-section ( 1)
and the remaining amount of the instalment shall be payable
by the Government to the jagirdar."
Thus sub-section (2) Qf section 32, section 33, sub-section (2)
of
section 34 and sub-sections (!) and (2) of section 35 taken together
categorically provide that the Jagir Commissioner's order determining, inter alia,
the amount recoverable from
the jagirdar under
clause ( e) of sub-section (1) of section 22 shall be final, and that
it shall be deducted from the compensation payable to the jagirdar
uqder section 26.
The Act thus contains a comprehensive scheme for the determination of the amount of dues and debts recoverable by the State from
the jagirdar in respect of the ja'gir lands and their deduction from
the amount of compensation payable to !rim. The question of appeal
has been dealt with in section 39. Sub-section (1) of that section
specifically provides for an appeal against "any decision" of the Jagir
Commissioner, inter alia, under sub-section (2) of section 32, to the
Board of Revenue, and sub-section ( 4) declares that the decision of
the Board in aii appeal under the section shall be final.
Then comes. section 46 which raises the biir of jurisdiction. It provides as follows:-
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RA.JASTHAN v. RAO SARDAR SINGH (Shinghal, J.)
"46. Bar of jurisdiction.-(1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, no Civil or Revenue Court shall
have
jurisdiction in respect of any matter which is required to be
settled, decided or dealt with by any officer or
authority
under this Act.
(2) No order made by aHy such officer or authority
under this Act shall be called in question in any Court."
103
So where it is shown that any "matter" which is required
to be
settled, decided or dealt with by any officer or any authcrity m1der
the Act, e.g., the Jagir Commissioner or the Board of Revenue, has
been so settled, decided or dealt with, it shall not be permissible for
A
B
any Civil or Revenue Court to s'ettle, decide, or deal with it, except
C
where there is a contrary provision in that behalf in the Act itself. It
is also the mandate of sub-section (2) that no order of any such
officer or authority shall be open to challenge in any Court.
These provisions of the Act are quite adequate and comprehensive and, read with the relevant Rules, they provide for the determination and recovery of the amounts due from
the
jagirdar on
account of the jagir lands. This has to be so because when the Act
provides for the resumption of the jagir lands and thereby denudes
the jagirdar of his resources, it is fair and reasonable that it should
make provision for the detennination and recovery of the
amount
recoverable from the jagirdar under section 32(1) (a). TI1e provisions
of the Act to which reference has been made and the Rules made
thereunder, are therefore a comprehensive code concerning the liability of the jagirdar.
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If these provisions are applied to the facts and circumstances of
the present case, it would appear that the following facts have been
well established .
The State laid a claim for the recovery of Rs. 5,49,234/12/3 in
Fonn 10, exclusively on the ground tliat they were revenue dues of
the j'agirdar for a period prior to tl1e resumption of the jagir lands.
The Jagir Commissioner asked for informaition for the determination
of the State Government's claim, with particular reference to clause
(b) of sub-section (1) of section 32 as respects the amount recoverable from the jagirdar under clause ( e) of sub-section ( 1) of section
22, and made his final order on February 14, 1961. It is not controverted before us that he did so after complying with the requirements
of the hiw and communicated his decision to the Government and the
jagirdar under section 33. As the Jagir Commissioner's order under
sub-section (2) of section 32 was against the
State Government,
nothing was deductibfo on acc01mt of the State Government's claim
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~ i~\Form 10, undec section 34 of the Act, on account of the liability
daimed under clause (e) of·sub-section (1) of section 22 and clause
-· · ·· · (b) of sub-section ( 1) of section 32. So when the final determination
of that' claim was 'nil', inasmuch- as it was held that nothing was
recoverable from the jagirdar on account of the "revenue dues", it
inevitably followed that no deduction was permissible from the comB
perisation -payable to him. The decision was disadvantageous to the
State and it preferred an appeal to the Board of Revenue but, as has
been stated, it was _dismissed on October 15, 1966. It will be recalled
that even though it was stated in the writ petition that the Stale was
challenging the decisions of the Jagir Commissioner and the Board cif
C , Revenue "in separate proceedings", no such action was taken. The
fact therefore remains that as the order had been made by the Jagir
Commissioner under the provisions of the Act, and as there was no
provisions in the Act for challenging it otherwise than by an appeal to
the Board of Revenue which was dismissed, the High Court was right
in raising the bar of section 46-and in holding that no _Civil or Revenue·
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1 Court ha~ jurisdiction in respect _of the controversy as it was a matter
which had'been finally decided by the Jagir Commissioner and the
· Board of Revenue under the provisions of the Act. The
belated
attempt by the State to get over the bar by instituting proceedings
under section 229 or section 257 A of the Rajas than Land Revenue
Act, was therefore illegal, and_ was set .aside by the Board's decision
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dated January 13, 1964. The objection against it had no merit, and
has righ\ly been rejected by the impugned judgment of the High Court
dated March 13, 1968.
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It was argued· on behalf of the appellant that the resolution of the
Jaipur State Council dated July 1, 1936, was the final adjudication
F . of the liability of the Uniara Jagir for the payment of the amount
mentioned in it, to the State, and was really in the. nature of a decree
which the Jagir Commissioner had nojurisdiction to examine utiiler
section 32 or any oiher. section of the Act and the Jagir Commissioner's order dated February 14, .1961 was therefore quite illegal and
- could well be ignored by . the State for the purpose of taking action
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under section 257 A of the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act. We find
that a similar argument was urged for the consideration of the High
Court, -but was rejected for satisfactory reasons. The State did not
even care to produce the Council resolution before the Jagir Commissioner and, as has been stated, the jagirdar took the plea in his reply -
to the writ petition that he .never :igi;eed to .the passing of that resoH
lution, he was never informed of _the alJeged arrears for which the
resolution was said to have .been passed, and nothing was payable
by 11im on account of "revenue dues~. He _therefore . asked . the J agir
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RAJASTHAN v. RAO SARDAR SINGH (Shinghal, J.)
10 5
Commissioner to make an inquiry into the matter. That was undertaken by the Jagir Commissioner under the relevaat provisions of the
Act, to which reference has been made already. It will be recalled that
the State Government filed an appeal against the adverse decision of
the Jagir Comm,iss.ioner, but it was dismissed, and the
appellate
decision of the Board became final under sub-section ( 4) of section
39 of the Act. We have dealt with the consequences which
aros~
from that decision by virtue of the bar of jurisdiction under section 46.
It was further argued on behalf of the appellant that the Jagir
Commi.ssioner's order under section 32 of the Act could possibly
relate only to his final order in regard to the amount recoverable from
the jagirdar, inter alia, under clause ( e) of sub-section, ( 1) of section
22 of the Act, for the purpose of enabling its deduction from the
jagirdar's compensation under section 34, but could not possibly bar
a civil action for it may well be that, in a given case, the amount of
compeJI~ation may fall short of the amount recoverable
from
the
jagirdar. It will be enough to say t~at such a possibility could not
arise in the instant case inasmuch as the net compensation payable
to the jagirdar was Rs. 16,00,000/-, which was far in excess of his
liability to the St;ite. Reference in this connection may also be made
to rule 37-C(4) of the Rajasthallc Land Reforms and Resumption of
Jagir Rules, 1954, which casts a duty on the Jagir Commissioner
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not only to effect the deduction of the amount payable by the jagirdar, under section 34, but also for the deduction of the balance from
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the rehabilitation graat payable to him under section 38C of the Act.
The said rule casts a duty on the authority to whom the amount is
payable by the jagirdar, to take necessary steps for the adjustment
of the recovery so effected, and "further recovery of the balance, if
any, that might remain outstanding against the jagirdar." There could
therefore be rio occasion for the recovery of any balance of revenue
dues by civil action in the facts and circumstances of this case.
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The appellant's learned counsel made a reference to several cases
including Ullel Venkatrava Kini v. Louis Souza('~, G. Venkatachala
Odavar v. Ramachandra Odavar and another( 2),
Kulandaiswami
Madurai and others v . . Wurunayya Madurai and others('), Rameshwar
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Prasad and others v. Satya Narain and others('), Gurbasappiz
Mahade11appa v. Neelkanthappa Shivappa( 5 ). A. R. Sarin v. B. C.
(I) A. I. R. 1960 Mysore 209 .
(2) A. !. R. 1961 Madr>s 423.
(3) A .. !. R. 1969 Madras 14.
(4) A. !.R. 1954 All. 115.
(5) JI. I. R.1951Bombay136.
8-520SCI/78
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[1979] 1 s.c.R.
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Patil and another(1) and Shivshanker Prasad Shah and others v.
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Bllikunth Nath Singh and others(') for the purpose of showing that
every adjudication of a dispute cannot oust the jurisdiction of a civil
court. But they were different cases where the jurisdiction of Civil
Courts could not be said to have been ousted.
As we find no force in this appeal, it is dismissed with costs.
N.V.K.
(1) A. I. R. 1951 Bombay 423.
(2) [1969] 3 S.C.R. 908.
Appeal dismissed.
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