1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25 TH DAY OF APRIL, 2015 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE N.K.PATIL AND THE HON’BLE MRS.JUSTICE RATHNAKALA WRIT APPEAL NOS.1129-1132 OF 2012 (LR) BETWEEN: K USMAN SHAFI S/O KUNHIMONU @ IDDINA BEARY AGED ABOUT 80 YEARS, AGRICULTURIST RESIDENT OF KOOTELU IN UPPINANGADY PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241 ...APPELLANT (BY SRI A.V.GANGADHARAPPA, ADV.) AND : 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER FOR LAND REFORMS, 2 VIDHANA SOUDHA, BANGALORE – 560 001. 2. THE LAND TRIBUNAL PUTTUR TALUK, PUTTUR REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY AND TAHSILDAR PUTTUR, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT-574 241. 3. BASTI GOPALAKRISHNA SHANUBHAG S/O RAMAYYA SHANUBHAG AGED ABOUT 64 YEARS, BANDARU, MANGALORE – 575 001. ISHWARA BHAT SINCE DEAD BY LRS: 4. S SHANTHARAMA S/O ISHWARA BHAT, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS 5. KRISHNAMURTHY S/O ISHWARA BHAT, AGED ABOUT 62 YEARS RESPONDENT NOS.4 & 5 ARE RESIDENTS OF SOORAMBAYALU, UPPINANGADY KASABA, PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241. MULLYA SIDDANNA HEGDE SINCE DEAD BY LRS 6. SMT. KRISHNAMMA 3 W/O SIDDANNA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 103 YEARS (SINCE DEAD BY L.RS RESPONDENTS NOS.8 & 9 WHO ARE ALREADY ON RECORD) (CAUSE TITLE AMENDED V/O DTD:13/06/2013) 7. SANJEEVA HEGDE S/O LATE SIDDANNA HEGDE, SINCE DEAD BY L.R. 7(A) SMT.KALAVATHI HEGDE W/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 68 YEARS 7(B) NAGESH HEGDE S/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS 7(C) HARISH HEGDE S/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS 7(D) CHANDRA HEGDE S/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS 7(E) CHIDANANDA HEGDE S/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS 7(F) VENKATESH HEGDE S/O LATE SANJEEVA HEGDE, 4 AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF MULIYA HOUSE, UPPINANDADY (POST), PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT -574 241. (RESPONDENTS NOS.7(A) TO 7(F) ARE IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 23/04/2014 ON I.A.NO.6/2013) 8. MADHAVA HEGDE S/O SIDDANNA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS RESPONDENT NOS.6 TO 8 ARE RESIDENTS OF MULLYA HOUSE, UPPINANGADY, PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241. 9. SMT. LAKSHMI D/O LATE SIDDANNA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS IIANTHILA, BELTHANGADY TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT-574 214 IBRAYI BEARY SINCE DEAD BY LRS: 10. AYUB S/O LATE IBRAYI BEARY AGED ABOUT 58 YRS R/O KOOTELU, UPPINANGADY KASABA PUTTUR TALUK DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241. 5 11. SMT. AASIYA W/O ABDUL KHADER, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS RESIDENT OF BAJATHURU VILLAGE VOLALU POST BEDRADI QUARTERS PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 201. 12. KHALID S/O LATE IBRAYI BEARY, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS R/O KOOTELU, UPPINANGADY KASABA PUTTUR TALUK DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241. 13. RAMAYYA HEGDE S/O SANKAPPA HEGDE, SINCE DEAD BY L.RS 13(A) SMT.LAKSHMI W/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGE, AGED ABOUT 70 YEARS 13(B) ANANDA HEGDE S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS 13(C) SHIVAPPA HEGDE S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS 13(D) JANARDHANA HEGDE 6 S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS 13(E) MOHANA HEGDE S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS 13(F) SMT.JANAKI D/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS 13(G) SMT.BABY D/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF KUNTALU KATTAE HOUSE, ILANTHILA VILLAGE, ANDEDADKA POST, BELTHANGADY TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 214. 13(H) VISHWANATHA HEGDE S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.34, ADARSHANAGARA, NEKKILADI VILLAGE (POST), BELTHANGADY TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 214. 13(I) SHRIDHARA HEGDE S/O LATE RAMAYYA HEGDE AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS RESIDING AT NO.34, SHANTHINAGARA, NEKKILADI VILLAGE (POST), 7 BELTHANGADY TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 214 (RESPONDENTS NO.13(A) TO 13(I) ARE IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 23/04/2014 ON I.A.NO.5/2013) 14. ABUBAKKAR S/O KUNHIMONU @ IDDINA BEARY AGED ABOUT 73 YEARS AGRICULTURIST RESIDENT OF KOOTELU IN UPPINANGADY PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT – 574 241. 15. K DAWOOD S/O KUNHIMONU @ IDDINA BEARY, SINCE DEAD BY L.RS. 15(A) SMT.JAINABERE W/O LATE K.DAWOOD AGED ABOUT 65 YEARS 15(B) ABDUL NAZEER S/O LATE K.DAWOOD AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS 15(C) ABDUL AZEEZ S/O LATE K.DAWOOD AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS 15(D) HAFEEZ HAMZA S/O LATE K.DAWOOD 8 AGED ABOUT 24 YEARS ALL ARE RESIDENTS OF KOOTELU, UPPINANGADY, PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT. 15(E) MOHAMMAD SHARIFF S/O LATE K.DAWOOD, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS, NEAR SHALIMAR HALL, MOODABIDRE TOWN (TALUK), DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT. 15(F) SMT.NASEEMA W/O M.G.HANEEF, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, HAZI RESIDENCY, NEAR BADRIYA COLLEGE, BANDAR, MANGALORE TOWN. 15(G) SMT.REHAMATH BEGUM W/O HANEEF, AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, ZAM ZAM HOUSE, PUDUBETTU, NELYADI VILLAGE, PUTTUR TALUK, DAKSHINA KANNADA DIST. 9 (RESPONDENTS NOS.15(A) TO 15(G) ARE IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 23/04/2014 ON I.A.NO.4/2013) .. RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. M. GEETHA, HCGP. FOR R1 & R2; SRI N.K.RAMESH, ADV. FOR R4 & C/R5; SRI K.SRIHARI, ADV. FOR R8, R10 AND BY GPA HOLDER OF R11 AND R12 & R7 (A, B & D-F); SRI K.CHANDRANATH ARIGA, ADV. FOR R13 (B & I); R9 – SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED; M/S. DHARMASHREE ASSOCIATES, ADVS. FOR R14 & ALSO GPA HOLDER OF R3; SRI B.LETHIF, ADV. FOR R15 (A-G); R13 (E,G,H) – SERVED AND UNREPRESENTED; R13 (C, D & F) – SERVED THROUGH PAPER PUBLICATION V/O DT:13/06/2013; R8 & R9 ARE LRS OF R6; NOTICE TO R7(C) HELD SUFFICIENT V/O DTD:04/03/2014) THESE WRIT APPEALS ARE FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER PASSED IN THE WRIT PETITION NO.16503/2004(LR) DATED 07/12/2011. THESE WRIT APPEALS HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR JUDGMENT ON 15/04/2015 AND COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT THIS DAY, RATHNAKALA J. , DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: 10 J U D G M E N T These appeals are by the aggrieved petitioner of W.P.No.16503/2004 and W.P.Nos.17067-17069/2004, wherein, the learned Single Judge vide order dated 07.12.2011 disposed of the said writ petitions on certain terms. 2. To align the events in chronological order: The appellant’s father namely Kunhimonu @ Iddina Beary was a protected tenant under respondent Nos.3 and 4 in respect of lands located in Upinangadi Village, Puttur Taluk, D.K. District. He filed form No.7 seeking confirmation of occupancy rights before the Land Tribunal, Puttur Taluk, as follows: Under respondent No.3 the lands in survey No.42/3 to an extent of 2 acres 50 cents, in survey No.43/5 to an extent of 3 acres 63 cents, in survey No.42/4 to an extent of 10 cents; under respondent No.4 in respect of lands in survey No.41/2 to an extent of 1 acre 58 cents, in survey No.41/1B to an extent of 0.51 cents, 11 in survey No.42/2 to an extent of 1 acre 90 cents, respectively. His application was numbered as LRYT No.3334/74-75. Respondents No.5 to 7 also filed similar applications in respect of some of the above lands, the application of respondent No.5 was registered in LRYT No.917/75-76 and that of respondent No.6 is numbered as LRYT No.3897/74-75. The Land Tribunal conducted separate enquiry in respect of these applications vide order dated 03.12.1976, Kunhimonu was granted occupancy rights in respect of 4 items of lands only by reJecting his prayer in respect of other lands. Respondent No.5 was granted occupancy rights in respect of the lands claimed by Kunhimonu, respondent No.6 was granted 36 cents of land in survey No.41/1B, respondent No.7 was conferred occupancy rights in respect of 10 cents in survey No.42/4, vide order dated 4.11.1976. The appellant’s father challenged the order of the Land Tribunal in reJecting his claim in respect of 4 items in writ petition No.12171 of 1977. He died during the pendency of the said writ petition. The appellant and his two brothers / 12 respondent Nos.8 and 9 were brought on record. The writ petition was allowed by quashing the order passed by the Land Tribunal in respect of the lands in survery Nos.42/3, 43/5, 42/4, 41/1B and 42/2 with a direction to the Land Tribunal to club all the four applications filed by the appellant’s father and respondents No.5, 6 and 7 and to hold common enquiry. On remand, the Land Tribunal confirmed its earlier order. The order was challenged in W.P.No.29969/1994. The writ petition was allowed vide order dated 23.01.2002, the order of the Land Tribunal was quashed and the matter was remanded for fresh disposal after issuing notice to the concerned parties and to give opportunity to lead evidence. The Land Tribunal, on 29.03.2003 passed the order holding that the land in survey No.42/2 measuring 1 acre 90 cents is uncultivated for last 40 to 50 years and reJected the claim. The appellant filed writ petition Nos.16503/2004 and 17067 - 17069/2004.