IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL Writ Petition No.417 of 2011 (M/S) Hukum Singh ..… Petitioner Versus State of Uttarakhand & Another ….. Respondents Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, Advocate for the petitioner Mr. P.C. Bisht, Brief Holder for the State. Hon’ble B.S. Verma, J. Learned counsel for the petitioner prays for and is permitted to add prayer 4 in the prayer clause of the petition. Heard learned counsel for the parties. By means of this writ petition, the petitioner has sought following relief:- i) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding/directing the respondent to decide the question regarding the land in question which has been given to the petitioner on 24.1.1996 (under Rule 176) which is pending before the Settlement Officer of the Consolidation Court, Roorkee. ii) Issue any other relief, which this Hon’ble Court may deed fit and proper in the circumstances of the case. iii) Cost of the petition be awarded in favour of the petitioner. iv) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding/directing the Assistant Settlement Officer of Consolidation, Roorkee, to decide the Appeal 2 No.259 of 10-11, Hukum Singh Vs. State of Uttarakhand, expeditiously. In the course of arguments, learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the ends of justice would be served if a direction is given to the appellate court to expedite the disposal of the appeal, which is pending between the parties. Prayer made is innocuous in nature and deserves to be accepted. The Assistant Settlement Officer of Consolidation, Roorkee, is directed to decide the Appeal No.259 of 10-11, Hukum Singh Vs. State of Uttarakhand, pending before him, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of six months from the date of production of certified copy of this order. With the above direction, the writ petition is disposed of finally. (B.S. Verma, J.) 11.3.2011 RG 2