# 6(3 NATHU PRASAD v. RANCBHOD PRASAD & ORS

- **Citation:** [1970] 2 S.C.R. 643
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1969-10-06
- **Case number:** Civil Appeal No. 2111 of 1966
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/6-3-nathu-prasad-v-rancbhod-prasad-ors-4930
- **Pages:** 5

## Headnote

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6(3
NATHU PRASAD
v.
RANCBHOD PRASAD & ORS.
October 6, 1969
[J, C. SHAH, V. RAMASWAMI AND A. N. GROVER, 11.]
Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code (20 o/ 1959), •. 185(i)(ii) (b)-
Occupancy Rights-If enures to persons inducted as tenant• In contravention of•· 73, Revenue Administration and Ryotwarl Land and Revenue and
Tenancy A.ct Samvat 2007 (66 of 1950)-Madhya Bharat
Ryotwari
Sufl.k•see I'rotectlon Act (29 of 1955.l.
The respondents were inducted a• sub-lessees in contravention of ~. 73
of the Revenue Administration and Ryotwaij Land Revenue •nd Tenancy
Act, 1950. On the question whether they acquired rights as occupancy
tenants under s. 185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue
Code. 1959.
HELD: A person inducted as a sub-lessee, but who by expres; pro-·
vision contained in s. 73 read with s, 78 of Act 66 of 1950 is declared a
trespasser, does not acquire the States of an occupancy te~ant und~r s.
185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Prndesh Land Revenue Code.
Act 29 of
1955 conferred protection only upon
a ryatwafi sub-les·see,
and a
ryotwari sub-lessee was defined in that Act as meaning a person in whose
favour the land was settled. A person. the lease in whose favour \\'as
declared void by virtue of Act 66 of 1950, could not claim the status of
a. sub-lessee. That is so enacted in.s. 3 which excludes from the protection
granted by Act 29 of 1955, »mongst others, a sub-lessee deemed t\l be a
trespasser under s. 78 of Act 66 of 1950. A person mductod as a sublessee contrary to the provisions of s. 73 of Act 66 of 1950 did not, there·
fore, acquire any right undei' a contract of sub--letting, and his possession
was not protected under Act 29 of 1955. Such a person is not a rvotwari
sub-lessee defined in the Madhya Bharat Ryotwari Sub-Jesse protection Act
29 of 1955, and it is onJy on 'Ryotwari s11h-Jessee' as defined in that Act
that the right of occupancv tenant i< conferred by s. 185(1 )(ii)(b) of
the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. [6.\6 El
·
The obsd'vation contra in Rao Niha/karan
v.
Ramchandra
(1963]
M.P.L.J. 314, disapproved.
Civn. APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 2111 of
1966.
Allpclll by s~cial leave from the judgment and decree dated
July 9, 1965 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore Bench
in Second Appeal No. 254 of 1962.
Rameshwar Nath and Mahinder Narain, for the appellant.
M. C. Bhandare, K. Rajendra Cha11dhuri and K. R. Chaudhuri,
for the respondents.
The Judgment of the Court ,,.,as delivered by
Shah, J. Of Khasra Nos. 33 & 34 of Mahcshwar, District
Xhargone, Madhya Pradesh, Nathu Prasad-hereinafter called
'the plaintiff'-is the recorded pattedar tenant. On May 20,
6H
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1970] 2 S.C.R.
1955 he granted a sub-lease of the land, for a period of five
years, to Ranchhod Prasad and Onkar Prasad-hereinafter col·
lectively called 'the defendants'. On June 30, 1960 the plaintiff
commenced an action in the Court of the Civil Judge, MaheShwar against the defendants claiming that the sub-lease being in
contravention of s. 73 of the 1:adhya Bharat Land Revenue and
Tenancy Act 77 of 1950 the defendants were trespassers in the
land. The defendants contended that the leMe was valid,
and
since the plaintiff had received consideration, he \Vas
estopped
from setting up the plea of invalidity of the lease. The Trial
Court decreed the action, holding that the defendants were trespassers and could not acquire Bhumiswami rights claimed by
them.
The District Court agreed with the Trial Court. In
second . appeal the High Court of Madhya Pradesh allowed the
appeal and dismissed the plaintiff's action.
In ·the view of the
High Court the defendants had acquired rights as occupancy
tenan:s under s. 185(l)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land
Revenue Code. In so holding the High Court relied upon the
judgment of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Rao Nihalkara11 v.
Ramchandra ( 1). With special leave, the plaintiff has appealed to
this Court.
:::ection 73 of the Revenue Administration and Ryotwari Land
Re

## Text

B
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E
F
G
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6(3
NATHU PRASAD
v.
RANCBHOD PRASAD & ORS.
October 6, 1969
[J, C. SHAH, V. RAMASWAMI AND A. N. GROVER, 11.]
Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code (20 o/ 1959), •. 185(i)(ii) (b)-
Occupancy Rights-If enures to persons inducted as tenant• In contravention of•· 73, Revenue Administration and Ryotwarl Land and Revenue and
Tenancy A.ct Samvat 2007 (66 of 1950)-Madhya Bharat
Ryotwari
Sufl.k•see I'rotectlon Act (29 of 1955.l.
The respondents were inducted a• sub-lessees in contravention of ~. 73
of the Revenue Administration and Ryotwaij Land Revenue •nd Tenancy
Act, 1950. On the question whether they acquired rights as occupancy
tenants under s. 185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue
Code. 1959.
HELD: A person inducted as a sub-lessee, but who by expres; pro-·
vision contained in s. 73 read with s, 78 of Act 66 of 1950 is declared a
trespasser, does not acquire the States of an occupancy te~ant und~r s.
185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Prndesh Land Revenue Code.
Act 29 of
1955 conferred protection only upon
a ryatwafi sub-les·see,
and a
ryotwari sub-lessee was defined in that Act as meaning a person in whose
favour the land was settled. A person. the lease in whose favour \\'as
declared void by virtue of Act 66 of 1950, could not claim the status of
a. sub-lessee. That is so enacted in.s. 3 which excludes from the protection
granted by Act 29 of 1955, »mongst others, a sub-lessee deemed t\l be a
trespasser under s. 78 of Act 66 of 1950. A person mductod as a sublessee contrary to the provisions of s. 73 of Act 66 of 1950 did not, there·
fore, acquire any right undei' a contract of sub--letting, and his possession
was not protected under Act 29 of 1955. Such a person is not a rvotwari
sub-lessee defined in the Madhya Bharat Ryotwari Sub-Jesse protection Act
29 of 1955, and it is onJy on 'Ryotwari s11h-Jessee' as defined in that Act
that the right of occupancv tenant i< conferred by s. 185(1 )(ii)(b) of
the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code. [6.\6 El
·
The obsd'vation contra in Rao Niha/karan
v.
Ramchandra
(1963]
M.P.L.J. 314, disapproved.
Civn. APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 2111 of
1966.
Allpclll by s~cial leave from the judgment and decree dated
July 9, 1965 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore Bench
in Second Appeal No. 254 of 1962.
Rameshwar Nath and Mahinder Narain, for the appellant.
M. C. Bhandare, K. Rajendra Cha11dhuri and K. R. Chaudhuri,
for the respondents.
The Judgment of the Court ,,.,as delivered by
Shah, J. Of Khasra Nos. 33 & 34 of Mahcshwar, District
Xhargone, Madhya Pradesh, Nathu Prasad-hereinafter called
'the plaintiff'-is the recorded pattedar tenant. On May 20,
6H
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1970] 2 S.C.R.
1955 he granted a sub-lease of the land, for a period of five
years, to Ranchhod Prasad and Onkar Prasad-hereinafter col·
lectively called 'the defendants'. On June 30, 1960 the plaintiff
commenced an action in the Court of the Civil Judge, MaheShwar against the defendants claiming that the sub-lease being in
contravention of s. 73 of the 1:adhya Bharat Land Revenue and
Tenancy Act 77 of 1950 the defendants were trespassers in the
land. The defendants contended that the leMe was valid,
and
since the plaintiff had received consideration, he \Vas
estopped
from setting up the plea of invalidity of the lease. The Trial
Court decreed the action, holding that the defendants were trespassers and could not acquire Bhumiswami rights claimed by
them.
The District Court agreed with the Trial Court. In
second . appeal the High Court of Madhya Pradesh allowed the
appeal and dismissed the plaintiff's action.
In ·the view of the
High Court the defendants had acquired rights as occupancy
tenan:s under s. 185(l)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land
Revenue Code. In so holding the High Court relied upon the
judgment of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Rao Nihalkara11 v.
Ramchandra ( 1). With special leave, the plaintiff has appealed to
this Court.
:::ection 73 of the Revenue Administration and Ryotwari Land
Revenue and Tenancy Act, Samvat 2007 (Act No. 66 of 1950)
provides :
"No Pakka tenant shall sub-let for any period whatsoever any ·]and comprised in his holdings except in
the cases provided for in section 74.
Explanation :-
"
Section 74 deals with sub-letting by disabled persons.
Since the
plaintiff is not a disabled persdn, the section need not be read.
Seciion 7 5 provides :
"A sub-lease of t1Ie whole or any part of the hold·
ing of a Pakka tenant effected
properly and
legally
prior to the commencement of this Act shall terminate
after the expiry of the period of sub-lease or 4 years
after the commencement of this Act, which<Ner period
is less."
Section 7 6 provides .
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"( 1) If the sub-lessee does not hand over possession of the land sub-let to him after the sub-lease ceases
H
to be in force under sections 7 4 and 7 5 to the lessor or
~~=-~~~~~~-
(!) (1963) M P. L. 1 314.
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NATHU PRASAD \'. RANCHHOD PRASAD (Shah, J.)
645
his legal heir .
.
.
., he shall be deemed to be
a trespasser and shall be liable to ejcctment in accor- ·
dance with the provisions of thi.s Act.
(2)
..
Section 78 provides :
" ( 1) Any possession who in contravention of the
provisions of this Act, obtains possession of any land
by virtue of a bequest, gift, sale, mortgage or sub-lease,
or of any agreement purporting to be a bequest, gift,
sale, mortgage or sub-lease sh;;l! be deemed to be r.
trespasser and shall be liable to ej.~ctment in accordance
with the provisions of section 58.
..
The Madhya Bharat Legislature enacted the Madhya Bharat
Ryotwari Sub-lessee Proteciion Act, 1955 (Act 29 of
1955).
The Act came into force on October 19, 1955.
The Act was enacted to provide for stay of proceedings under s. 7 6 (1) for the
ejectment of sub-leases of ryotwari land after the termination of
sub-leases according to s. 75 of the Madhya Bharat Land Revenue
and Tenancy Act Samvat 2007. "Ryotwari sub-Jessee" was defined in cl. (b) of s. 2 as meaning "a person to whom a pakka
tenant of any Ryotwari land has sub-let on sub-lease any pait of
his Ryotwari land''. Section 3 of Act 29 of 1955 provides :
"Nothwithstanding anything
contained in section
76 of the Madhya Bharat Land Revenue and Tenancy
Act, Sam vat 2007, during the continuance of this Act
but subject to the provisions contained in section 4
below, no Ryotwari sub-lessee other than a sub-lessee
under section 74 of the Madhya Bharat Land Revenue
and Tenancy Act, Samvat 2007, and a sub-lessee deemed to be a trespasser under section 78 of the said
Land Revenue and Tenancy A~t, shalJ be ejected from
his land."
Section 3 clearly grants protection during the continuance of the
Act to sub-lessees.
But sub-lessees under s. 74 of the Madhya
Bharat Land Revenue and Tenancy Act and a sub-lessee deemed·
to be a trespasser under s. 78 of that Act are outside that protection.
The Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code (Aci 20 of 1959)
was enacted by the State Legislature and was brought into force
in the whole of the State of M3dhya Pradesh. By that Code. Act
29 of 1955 was repealed. The expression "tenant" was defined
in s. 2(y) as meaning "a person holding land from a Bhumiswami as an occupancy tenant under Chapter XN." Section
18 5, insofar as it is relevant, provides ;
SUPHMI! COURT l.BPOllTS
[11170] 2 S.C.R.
"(i) Every person who at the coming into force
of this Code holds-
(ii) In the Madhya Bhafdi region-
( a) any Inam land as a tenant, or as a sub-tenant
or as an ordinary tenant ; or
Explanation
(b) any land as ryotwari sub-lessee as defined in the
Madhya Bharat Ryotwari Sub-lessee Protection
Act, 1955 (29 of 1955); or
shall be called an occupancy tenant and shall have all
the rights and be subject to all the liabilities conferred
or imposed upon an o.ccupancy tenant by or under this
Code."
By s. 185 of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code a person
who is holding land as a ryotwari sub-lessee under Act 29 of 1955
is deemed to be an occupancy tenant and is entitled to all the
rights and is subject to all the liabilities conferred or imposed
upon an occupancy tenant by or under the Madhya Pradesh Land
Revenue Code.
A person- inducted as a sub-lessee, but who by express provision contain.~d in s. 73 read with s. 78 of Act 66 of 1950 is
declared a trespasser, does not acquire the status of an occupancy
tenant under s. 185 (I )(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land
Revenue Code. Act 29 of 1~55 conferred protection only upon
a ryotwari sub-lessee, and a ryotwari sulrlessee was defo:ad
in
that Act as meaning· a person in whose favour the land was
settled.
A person, the lease in' whose favour was declared void
by virtue of Act 66 of 1950, could not claim the status of a sublessee. That is so enacted in s. 3 which excludes from the proiection granted by Act 29 of 1955, amongst others, a sub-lessee
deemed to be a trespasser under s. 78 of Act 66 of 1950. A
person inducted as a sub-lessee contrary to the provisions of
s. 73 of Act 66 of 1950 did not therefore acquire any right under
a contract of sub-letting. and his possession was not protected
under Act 2.9 of 1955. Such a person is not a ryotwari sub-lessee
as defined in the Madhya Pradesh Ryotwari Sub-lessee Protection
Act 29 of 1955, and it is only on "Ryotwari sub-lessee" as defined
in that Act that the right of occupancy tenant is conferred by
s. 185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code.
Krishnan, J., ree:arded himself bound by the following observation made bv a Division Bench of the Madhya Pradesh· High
Court in Rao Niha/karon's case(') :
,.,..(1) (1963) M.P.L.1. 314.
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NATHU PRASAD v. RANCHHOD PRASAD (Shah, J.)
U7
"By section 3 of this Act (Act 29 of 1955) a bar
was created to the ejectment of these sub-lessees whose
~oniinuance had become precarious under the existing
law. The bar was to operate during the continuance of
that Act which was for a definite duration notwithstanding anything contained in section 76 and 78 of the
Madhya Bharai Land Revenue and Tenancy Act barrin& exceptions contained in section 74 of that Act."
The observation that protection was given to sub-lessees, · notwithstanding anything contained in s. 78 was apparently made
through oversight; it is contrary to the express provisions of the
c Act.
The High Court was, in our 1udgment, in error in holding
that the defendants had acquired the status of occupancy tenants
by virtue of s. 185(1)(ii)(b) of the Madhya Pradesh Land
Revenue Code (Act 20 of 1959).
The appeal is allowed. The order passed by the High Court
D is set aside and ihe decree passed by the District Court is restored. There will be no order as to costS in ibis Court and in
the High Court.
R.K.P.S.
Appeal allowed.