Page No.# 1/9 vs The State Of Assam And 67 Ors
2023 Latest Caselaw 570 Gua

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GAHC010245602022

THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

Case No. : WA/53/2023

KABINDRA PRASAD SARMA AND ANR S/O LATE SANKAR PRASAD SARMA BORDOLOI, KAMAKHYA DEVALAYA RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA DHAM GUWAHATI, 781010 ASSAM

2: THE DEITY OF GODDESS SRI SRI KAMAKHYA REPRESENTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES/BARDEURI SAMAJ NAMELY PHANINDRA SARMA SON OF LATE SITARAM SARMA KAMAKHYA DEVALAYA KAMAKHYA HILL GUWAHATI 78101

VERSUS

THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 67 ORS. REPRESENTED BY THE SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM, DEPTT. OF REVENUE, DISPUR, GUWAHATI 781006

2:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KAMRUP GUWAHATI

3:THE SETTLEMENT OFFICER KAMRUP.

4:THE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY COMMISSIONER REVENUE KAMRUP GUWAHATI.

5:SHRI RADHIKA KALITA SON OF LATE AMBIRAM KALITA Page No.# 2/9

6:SHRI JITEN DAS SON OF LATE GOBINDA DAS

7:SRI BASU DEV GAYAN SON OF LATE DABIN GAYAN

8:SHRI SUNESWAR DAS SON OF BHOLARAM DAS

9:SHRI SAMIR SARMA SON OF SHRI AMRIT SHARMA

10:SHRI JAGADISH SARMA SON OF SHRI KHARGESWAR SARMA

11:SHRI MUHIT SARMA SON OF SHRI PARAMANANDA SARMA

12:SRI SAILESWAR SARMA SON OF LATE SAKRESWAR SARMA

13:SRI RATUL PRASAD SARMA SON OF LATE HIRANYA PRASAD SARMA

14:SRI NALIN PRASAD SARMA SON OF SRI KAMALA PRASAD SARMA

15:SHRI KAJAL SARMA SON OF SHRI SANKAR SARMA

16:GUWAHATI METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BHANGAGARH GUWAHATI

17:COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM GUWAHATI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

18:SRI LALIT MOHAN DAS VILLAGE KAMAKHYA GAON MAUJA JALUKBARI POST OFFICE GUWAHATI-12 DISTRICT KAMRUP

19:SHRI JOGESWAR SAIKIA S/O SHRI MALBHOG SAIKIA ADDRESS KALIPUR GUWAHATI Page No.# 3/9

P.S. BHARALUMUKH UNDER MAUZA JALUKBARI DISTRICT KAMRUP ASSAM

20:. SRI MAHANTA SWAMI RASH BEHARI DAS KATHIA BABA SON OF SHRI MAHANTA SWAMI DHANANJOY DAS KATHIA BABA GURUKUL ROAD POST OFFICE VRINDAVAN DISTRICT MATHURA UTTAR PRADESH REPRESENTED BY HIS CONSTITUTED ATTORNEY SRI NISHITENDU DHAR ADVOCATE SON OF LATE NAGENDRA KUMAR CHOUDHURY A.K.AZAD ROAD REHABARI P.PO.GUWAHATI-08 DISTRICT KAMRUP ASSAM

21:SHRI NANDI NATH SARMA ASSAM

22:SHRI PURNA CHANDRA SARMA S/O SHRI PRABHAT CH.SARMA RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA HILL TOP P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI

23:SRI SUBHAS SARMA S/O SHRI PRABHAT CH.SARMA RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA HILL TOP P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI

24:SRI MRINAL SARMA S/O SHRI ARUN CH.SARMA RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA HILL TOP P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI

25:SRI KALYAN SARMA S/O SHRI ARUN CH.SARMA

RES. 21 TO 25 ARE RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA HILL TOP P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI

26:SRI PALIT KR BORA S/O LATE PADMANATH BORA R/O DAHABARACHUK JORHAT-01 PRESENTLY RESIDING AT ARUNADAY APARTMENT BLOCK NO.1 FLAT NO 302 Page No.# 4/9

27:ASHEERBAD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY PVT LTD INCORPORATION NO 03-04583 REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR SMTI RATNA SARMAH

28:SRI RABINDRA NATH SARMAH S/O LATE PITAMBAR SARMAH R/O MALIGAON CHARIALI P/S JALUKBARI GUWAHATI-11

29:SRI NILAMBAR SARMAH RESIDENTS OF A.T. ROAD VILLAGE AND P.O.-KAMAKHYA P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI KAMRUP METRO

30:SRI BHABA KT. SARMAH RESIDENTS OF A.T. ROAD VILLAGE AND P.O.-KAMAKHYA P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI KAMRUP METRO

31:SRI KAMALA KT. SARMAH RESIDENTS OF A.T. ROAD VILLAGE AND P.O.-KAMAKHYA P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI KAMRUP METRO

32:SRI LAKSHI KT. SARMAH RESIDENTS OF A.T. ROAD VILLAGE AND P.O.-KAMAKHYA P.S. JALUKBARI GUWAHATI KAMRUP METRO

33:WEST GUWAHATI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION PANDUNATH GUWAHATI KAMRUP ASSAM REPRESENTED BY PRINCIPAL AND SECRETARY SMT GITANJALI CHOUDHURY

34:SMT GITANJALI CHOUDHURY WIFE OF SRI BRAJENDRA CHOUDHURY RESIDENT OF KAHILIPARA SURABHI PATH JANAKPUR GUWAHATI 5

35:THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR KAMRUP METRO PANBAZAR GUWAHATI-781001 Page No.# 5/9

36:THE SENIOR SUB REGISTRAR KAMRUP METRO PANBAZAR GUWAHATI-781001

37:THE SUB REGISTRAR KAMRUP METRO PANBAZAR GUWAHATI-781001

38:THE JOINT SUB REGISTRAR KAMRUP METRO PANBAZAR GUWAHATI-781001

39:THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KAMRUP METRO GUWAHATI-781001

40:THE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY COMMISSIONER REVENUE KAMRUP METRO GUWAHATI-781001

41:DR. SUBHASH KHANNA S/O SRI KRISHANLAL KHANNA MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SWAGAT HOSPITAL P LTD. BHARALUMUKH GUWAHATI-09

42:SHRI BRAJEN KALITA S/O LATE NAREN KALITA R/O KALIPUR GUWAHATI DIST KAMRUP ASSAM

43:SUBHAM PLANNERS LTD. FORMERLY SUBHAM PLANNERS PVT. LTD REGISTERED OFFICE AT SUBHAM VELOCITY 5TH FLOOR HARI RAM BORA PATH G.S. ROAD OPP- WALFORD GUWAHATI-5 REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR SRI ROHIT LOHIA R/O SRIKUNI HOUSE HOUSE NO- 11 MAHADEVPUR REHABARI GUWAHATI-8 DIST- KAMRUP (M), ASSAM.

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44:SRI SUPARAS MAL BAID S/O LATE KANKHYA LAL BAID R/O MALIGAON GUWAHATI DIST- KAMRUP (M) ASSAM.

45:SRI ARABINDA SENGUPTA S/O DILIP KUMAR SENGUPTA.

46:SMTI. AJANTA SENGUPTA W/O SRI ARABINDA SENGUPTA.

47:SMT. KRISHNA BISWAS S/O LATE PARTHA PRATIM BISWAS

48:SRI PARTHA PRATIM BISWAS S/O LATE AJIT KUMAR BISWAS.

49:SMT. SUNITA JHABAK W/O SRI RAJ KUMAR JHABAK

50:SMT. SONU SETHIA W/O SRI DHANPAT R. SETHIA

51:SRI DHANPAT R. SETHIA

S/O SRI SUMER MAL SETHIA

52:SRI KRISHNA SHARMA S/O SRI SANWARMAL SHARMA.

53:SMT. KALPANA NEOG W/O SRI KABYAJYOTI NEOG

54:KABYAJYOTI NEOG S/O LATE JYOTISH CHANDRA NEOG

55:SRI VIMAL CHAND KHAJANCHI S/O LATE VALCHAN KHANCHI

56:SMTI. CHANDRAKALA KHAJANCHI W/O SRI VIMAL CHAND KHAJANCHI

57:SMT. PARWATI DEVI HARLALKA W/O LATE NAND KISHORE HARLALKA Page No.# 7/9

58:SRI JITENDRA KUMAR YADAV S/O SRI PRABHUNATH YADAV

59:SRI AMIT KUMAR YADAV S/O SRI PRABHU NATH YADAV

60:SRI SANDIP KEDIA S/O SRI MAHABIR PRASAD KEDIA

61:SRI SEKHAR PODDER S/O LATE SRISH CHANDRA PODDER

62:SMT. SNEHA HARLALKA

D/O LATE DILIP AGARWAL

63:SMT. SWAPNA DUTTA W/O LATE PANKAJ DUTTA

64:SRI SANJIB KUMAR MITRA S/O LATE BYOMKESH MITRA

65:SRI SEKHAR PODDER S/O LATE SRISH CHANDRA PODDER

66:SMT. SNEHA HARLALKA D/O LATE DILIP AGARWAL.

67:SMT. SWAPNA DUTTA W/O LATE PANKAJ DUTTA RESPONDENT NO 45 TO 67 ARE RESIDENTS OF DWARKA ENCLAVE MALIGAON GUWAHATI-781012 KAMRUP (M) ASSAM.

68:SRI RIJU PRASAD SARMA S/O LATE RABATI PRASAD SARMA RESIDENT OF KAMAKHYA HILL GUWAHATI 781010 KAMRUP M ASSA

For the Appellants : Mr. D.K. Mishra, Sr. Adv.

Mr. B. Prasad, Adv.

Mr. P.K. Sharma, Adv.

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For the respondent Nos.2, 3 & 4 : Ms. M. Bhattacharjee, Addl. Senior Govt. Advocate. For the respondent No.41 : Mr. R.C. Saikia, Adv.

BEFORE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SOUMITRA SAIKIA

ORDER Date :17.02.2023

Heard learned Senior counsel, Mr. D.K. Mishra assisted by Mr. B. Prasad, learned counsel for the writ appellants. Also heard Ms. M. Bhattacharjee, learned Additional Senior Government Advocate, Assam representing respondent Nos.2 to 4 and Mr. R.C. Saikia, learned counsel representing respondent No.41.

Learned Senior counsel, Mr. D.K. Mishra fervently urged that the notification under Section 3 of the Assam State Acquisition of Lands Belonging to Religious or Charitable Institution of Public Nature Act, 1959 [in short, Act of 1959] was never served on the persons responsible for the management of the property of the temple as required under Sub-Section 2 of Section 3 of the Act of 1959.

Reference is also made to the minutes of the meeting dated 28.07.1997 wherein, after detailed consideration of the problems relating to the land in question, a resolution was drawn that an action to fix and demarcate the retainable area of the Devalaya would be taken and till such demarcation, regular settlement of the Devalaya land shall not be allowed.

Learned Senior counsel urged that no such demarcation was ever made and in gross derogation of the resolution (supra), the land of deity is sought to be acquired.

Learned counsel representing the respondents have controverted the submissions advanced by learned Senior counsel for the appellants.

Having heard and considered the submissions advanced at the Bar and after perusing the impugned judgment and the records of the case, we feel that the matter requires consideration and hence, is fit to be admitted.

Admit.

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Issue notice.

Service upon the respondent Nos.2 to 4 and 41 is waived as they are already represented by respective learned counsel. Process be issued to the remaining respondents.

In the meantime, status quo as it exists today in respect of the land in question, including possession and status in revenue records, shall be maintained.

List the matter after 4(four) weeks.

                                 JUDGE                                     CHIEF JUSTICE




Comparing Assistant