y^r HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE CHHATTISGARH: BILASPUR DIVISION BENCH CORAM: HON'BLE SHRI S.R. NAYAK, CJ & HON'BLE SHRI FAKHRUDDIN, J. WRIT PETITiON No. 4213 of 2006 PETITIONER Ih A Sevati Bai, Daughter of Rukha Nagesia, Wife of Shri Sakund Ram Nagesia, Aged about 47 years, Caste Nagesia, Resident of Ghalong, Presently resident at viliage Keradih, P.0. & Tah. Kunkuri, Distt. Jashpur, VERSUS 1. State of Chhattisgarh, Through the Secretary, Department of Revenue, D.K.S. Bhawan, Raipur 2. The Collector, Distt. Jashpur (C.G.). 3. The Sub Divisiona! Officer (Rev.) Tahsil & District Jashpur (C.G.). 4. The Sub Divisional OfRcer (Rev.) Pathaigaon, District Jashpur (C.G.). 5. The Sub Divisional Officer (Rev.) Kunkuri, District Jashpur (C.G.). 6. The Sub Divisional Officer (Rev.) Tahsil-Bagicha, District Jashpur (C.G.). Present: Shri Ashok Soni, learned counsei for the petitioner. Shri Vinay Harit, Dy. Advocate General with Shri Utkarsh Verma, leamed Dy. G.A. for the State / respondents. ORAL ORDER [Passed on 1stSeptember, 2006) The following oral order of the Court was passed by in this petition under Article 226 / 227 of the Constitution of India the complaint of the petitioner is that despite the remand of the proceedings with direction to investigate and pass appropriate orders, the -z cases are pending before the Sub Dsvisionai Officer for years and no steps are taken to dispose ofthe same. (2) The case of the petitioner is that she is an aboriginai, and that her lands and lands of certain other aboriginals were fraudulently purchased by the Christian Missionary in the names of individual persons who are members of Christian community (aboriginal tribe), and later on under transfer deeds, transferred those lands to Christian Association / Christian Sisters' Association and the said Association holds the !and as Bhoomiswami on the basis of such transfer. In this regard, certain complaints under Section 170 (B) ofthe C.G. Land Revenue Code wsre made to the concerned Sub Divisional OfRcers. The Sub Divisional Officer, Jashpur vide his order dated 31-07-1997 directed reversion of the lands to aboriginal vendors. Thereafter, the Christian Association preferred an appea! before the Coiiector, Jashpur and the Collector vide his order dated 16-10-2000, set aside the order of the Sub Divisionai Officer and remanded the matter to further inquire into the matter and pass appropriate orders. According to tearned counsel for the petitioner, thereafter, the Sub Divisionai Officer is not passing any order or holding any inquiry with regard to the said sale-deeds. (3) Learned counsei appearing for the petitionsr submitted that a direction may be issued to the respondents - authorities to decide the cases which are pending, as expeditiously as possibie. (4) So far as the expeditious disposal of and decision on a matter like this is concerned, the authorities are required to do it have the obligatior to do it as expeditiously as possibte and the proceedings should not b< protracted on one ground or the other. The provisions of the Code in tha ^ regard are beneficial and the very statutory purpose will be defeated if the matters are kept pending without any rhyme and reason by the concerned officers for years. (5) Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case and materia! on record, in our opinion, it is just and proper that a direction is issued to the respondents - Sub Divisiona! OfRcers to decide the cases as eariy as possible, under any circumstance within a period of six months from the date of receipt/ production of a copy of this order. In terms of the above direction, the writ petition stands disposed of. No costs. Sd/- Chief Justice Sd/- Fakhruddin Judge i.^lh^^-^ ..^,^_ ,;^.^-;_ ,^.^