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Jharkhand High Court
Girwar Singh vs The State Of Jharkhand on 12 March, 2026
Author: Rajesh Shankar
Bench: Rajesh Shankar
2026:JHHC:6507-DB
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
W.P.(PIL) No.3328 of 2023
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1. Girwar Singh, son of late Parmeshwar Singh, resident of village
Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
2. Guddi Devi, wife of Jitu Ram, resident of Ward No. 13, Village
Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
3. Gulab Singh, son of Late Tetar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
4. Sudhir Singh, son of Late Banshi Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
5. Bunde Kumar Singh, son of Shiv Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
6. Shailendra Singh, son of Mundrika Singh, resident of Village
Kisaini, P.O. & P.S. Paan, District Palamau.
7. Nitesh Kumar Singh, son of Mundrika Singh, resident of Village
Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
8. Koyli Ram, son of Jairam Mochi, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
9. Basant Ram, son of Late Khedan Mochi, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
10. Sunil Kumar Ram, son of Jayram Ram, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
11. Pradeep Singh, son of Late Tetar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
12. Sakendra Kumar Rajak, son of Meghnath Rajak, resident of
Village Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
13. Punita Devi, wife of Jitendra Baitha, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
14. Satyendra Rajak, son of Meghnath Baitha, resident of Village
Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
15. Jitendra Kumar Ram, son of Kameshwar Ram, resident of Village
Sikki Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
16. Fula Devi, wife of Ganesh Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
2026:JHHC:6507-DB
17. Kamla Devi, wife of Somar Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
18. Sandhya Devi, wife of Vikram Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
19. Sobha Devi, wife of Abhay Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
20. Sohari Devi, wife of Ramshray Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
21. Parwati Devi, wife of Bikrama Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
22. Mamta Devi, wife of Binay Kumar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
23. Lilawati Devi, wife of Prabhu Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
24. Punam Devi, wife of Puran Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
25. Usha Devi, wife of Kameshwar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
26. Kismatiya Devi, wife of Sudama Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
27. Sabita Devi, wife of Avadh Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
28. Kabita Devi, wife of Ranjit Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
29. Rima Devi, wife of Nageshwar Ram, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
30. Usha Devi, wife of Raju Ram, resident of Village Sikki Kala, P.O.
Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
31. Rina Devi, wife of Harendra Paswan, resident of Village Barsaita,
Ρ.Ο. Kanke Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
32. Shanti Devi, wife of Bhognath Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
33. Anita Devi, wife of Late Brijlal Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
2026:JHHC:6507-DB
34. Sharda Devi, wife of Late Rawan Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
35. Sunita Devi, wife of Shiv Kumar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
36. Raj Dulari Devi, wife of Niranjan Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
37. Jagmani Devi, wife of Pokhraj Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
38. Phula Devi, wife of Jamuna Singh, resident of Village Sikki Kala,
P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
39. Sumitra Devi, wife of Prem Kumar Singh, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. Sikki Kala, P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
40. Parash Nath Bhuiyan, son of Nandu Bhuiyan, resident of Village
Sikki Khurd, P.O. & P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
41. Sima Kumari, daughter of Shyamdev Singh, resident of Village
Khajuri, P.O. Dipauwa, P.S. Patan, Rudidih, District Palamau.
42. Rinku Singh, son of Chulhan Singh, resident of Sikki Kala, P.O. &
P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
43. Naresh Kumar Rajak, son of Madan Baitha, resident of Village
Sikki Kala, Meral, P.O. & P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
44. Rajendra Kumar Rajak, son of Sitam Baitha, resident of Village
Sikki Kala, Meral, P.O. & P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
45. Ajay Rajak, son of Satyanarayan Baitha, resident of Village Sikki
Kala, P.O. & P.S. Patan, District Palamau.
.......... Petitioners.
-Versus-
1. The State of Jharkhand, through Chief Secretary, Government of
Jharkhand, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District Ranchi.
2. Principal Secretary, Department of Revenue, Registration and
Land Reforms, Government of Jharkhand, P.Ο. Dhurwa, P.S.
Jagarnathpur, District Ranchi.
3. Central Bureau of Investigation, 6th Lodhi Road, Plot No.5-B,
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Marg, CGO Complex, P.O. & P.S. New
Delhi, District Delhi.
4. Commissioner, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
2026:JHHC:6507-DB
5. Deputy Commissioner, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
6. Superintendent of Police, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
7. Sub Divisional Officer, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
8. Settlement Officer, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
9. Circle Officer, Palamau, P.O., P.S. & District Palamau.
.......... Respondents.
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CORAM : HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR
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For the Petitioners : Mr. Rohit Roy, Advocate
For the State : Mr. Manish Kumar, Sr. S.C.-II
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Order No.06 Date: 12.03.2026
1. I.A. No.2301 of 2026 seeks waiver of office objection.
2. The office objection had flagged the issue of non-compliance with
certain rules relating to institution of public interest litigations.
One of the non-compliances concerns the failure of the
petitioners to disclose their credentials. Such disclosure is
necessary to determine whether the petition is indeed in public
interest.
3. We heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned
counsel for the State Government on the main matter which is
purported to be filed in public interest.
4. From the perusal of the petition, we find that some persons,
which possibly includes the petitioners, had filed a complaint to
the Circle Officer, Patan (Palamau) in the year 2022 complaining
about some illegalities in the settlement of lands in their village.
This can, hardly be regarded as some serious demand for justice
regarding a petition which is now instituted in the year 2026. Even
the complaint is quite general in nature.
2026:JHHC:6507-DB
5. Therefore, we are not inclined to presently entertain this petition.
However, if the petitioners are really aggrieved or think that
settlement of such lands contrary to law raise issues of public
interest affecting the entire village, they are at liberty to file a
detailed complaint to the Deputy Commissioner, Palamau
(respondent no.5). If such complaint is filed, we are sure that the
5th respondent will look into the same and dispose it of in
accordance with law.
6. Needless to add that the Deputy Commissioner will hear all the
parties who are likely to be affected by the complaint before any
decision is taken on the same.
7. We clarify that we have not examined the allegations in the
petition and, therefore, all contentions of all parties, including the
contentions based on delay, latches etc. are kept explicitly open.
8. With the above liberty, we dispose of this petition and the
interlocutory application taken out therein. No costs.
(M. S. Sonak, C.J.)
(Rajesh Shankar, J.)
12th March, 2026
Sanjay/Rohit
Uploaded on 16.03.2026
