IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC NO.10999 OF 2010 1. MOST.ASMA KHATOON, WIDOW OF LATE MD. HADIS 2. MD. KAMRUDDIN, SON OF LATE MD. ALAUDDIN BOTH ARE RESIDENT OF VILLAGE BANKI, POLICE STATION RUPOULI, DISTRICT PURNEA 3. UPENDRA GORHI, SON OF LATE SUKKAL GORHI, RESIDENT OF VILLAGE ARAJPUR, POLICE STTION CHOUSA, DISTRICT MADHEPURA ………………………………………………………………………PETITIONERS VERSUS 1. THE STATE OF BIHAR 2. THE MINISTER, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND LAND REFORMS, GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR 3. THE COLLECTOR, PURNEA 4. THE SUB DIVISIONAL OFFICER, DHAMDAHA, DISTRICT PURNEA 5. THE ANCHAL ADHIKARI, RUPOULI, DISTRICT PURNEA 6. SMT. UMA DEVI, WIDOW OF LATE SHAILENDRA KUMAR SINHA, RESIDENT OF VILLAGE KAPSAUNA, POLICE STATION SHAHKUND, DISTRICT BHAGALPUR 7. HARI BALLABH NARAYAN SINHA 8. BRAJ BALLABH NARAYAN SINHA 9. RAJ BALLABH NARAYAN SINHA 7 TO 9 ARE SONS OF LATE RAM SUNDAR MANDAL, RESIDENT OF VILLAGE RAMPUR, POLICE STATION KAHALGAON, DISTRICT BHAGALPUR 10. SMT. BHIKHA DEVI, WIFE OF PURAN RISHI 11. SMT. NISHA DEVI, WIFE OF PAPPU RAJAK 12. SMT. SAVITRI DEVI, WIFE OF DILIP RAM 13. AKBAR SABJI, SON OF LATE SATTAN SABJI 10 TO 13 ARE RESIDENT OF VILLAGE BANKI, POLICE STATION RUPOULI, DISTRICT PURNEA …………………………………………………………………………….RESPONDENTS ******* 2 16/07/2010 The petitioners have filed this application praying therein that Misc. Land Ceiling Case no. 25 of 2007 filed by them under Section 45 B of the Bihar Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling Area and Acquisition of Surplus Land) Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) may be disposed of by respondent no. 2, the Hon’ble Minister, Department of Revenue and Land Reforms, 2 Government of Bihar. The lands in question are situated at village Banki, Thana No. 293/2, Police Station Rupouli within Purnea district Purnea wherein Khata No. 345 Plot No. 1297 (Part) measuring 1 acre, Plot No. 1294 area 0.34 acres and plot no. 1299 measuring 1.1.4 acres. The short facts are that a ceiling proceeding was started against Smt. Uma Devi, respondent no. 6. The case of the petitioners is that in the ceiling proceeding, the petitioners were not noticed. The lands of respondents 7 to 9 i.e. Hari Ballabh Narayan Sinha, Braj Ballabh Narayan Sinha and Raj Ballabh Narayan Singh were clubbed with the lands of respondent no. 6. The petitioners are the decree holders and they have acquired title vis-à-vis the aforesaid three persons, i.e. respondents 7 to 9. Naturally, respondents 7 to 9 were not interested in pursuing the matter. The result is that the petitioners claim that the authorities have issued purchas and now there is eminent danger that the authority i.e. the Collector will dispossess the petitioners from the lands in question. The petitioners, on learning of the facts surrounding this case, at once filed an application before the Hon’ble Minister under Section 45 B of the Act which is numbered as 25 of 2007. The said application 3 under Section 45 B of the Act is pending since three years and now the petitioners are threatened by the fact that they may be dispossessed. It would be proper that the Hon’ble Minister should dispose of the application as expeditiously as possible considering the fact that the petitioners would be dispossessed if any further delay is caused. The petitioners would also have the liberty to file an application before the Hon’ble Minister for stay in the matter which ought to be considered by the Hon’ble Minister in case he is unable to pass a final order within a period of two months from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order. The status quo with respect to the land will be maintained till the aforesaid period of two months. This application is disposed of with the aforesaid observations. Anand ( Sheema Ali Khan, J. )