Case: Kanpur Sugar Works Ltd Vs. State Of Bihar &amp; Ors

and 7. Under sub-s. (1) of S. 5 it is provided:"With effect from the date of vesting, all homesteads comprised in an estate or tenure and being in the possession of an intermediary on the date of such vesting shall, subject to the provisions of sections 7A and 7B be deemed to be settled by the State with such intermediary and he shall be entitled to retain possession of the land comprised in such homesteads and to hold it as a tenant under the State free of rent: Provided that such homesteads as are used by the intermediary for purposes of letting out on rent shall be subject to the payment of such fair and equitable ground-rent as may be determined by the Collector in the prescribed manner." Section 6 deals with the right of the previous holder of land used for agricultural or horticultural purposes which were in khas possession of an intermediary on the date of vesting. In this case, we are not concerned with any dispute relating to such land. By S. 7 (1), insofar as it is relevant, it is provided:"Such buildings or structures together with the lands on which they stand, other than any buildings used primarily as offices or cutcheries referred to in clause (a) of section 4, as were in the possession of an intermediary at the commencement of this Act and used as golas, factories or mills, for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce or x x x and constructed or established and used for the aforesaid purposes before the first day of January 1946, shall x x be deemed to be settled by the State with such intermediary and he shall be entitled to retain possession of such buildings or structures together with the lands on which they stand as a tenant under the State subject to the payment of such fair and equitable ground-rent as may be determined by the Collector x x x" It is clear from a bare perusal of sub-section (1) of S. 7 that the buildings which are primarily used as offices or cutcheries referred to in cl. (a) of S. 4 as were in the possession of an intermediary at the commencement of the Act are excluded from the terms of S. 7 (1). Again, Sub-s. (1) only applies to such buildings or structures together with the lands on which they stand which are used as golas, factories or mills for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce or used for storing grains or keeping cattle or implements for the purpose of agriculture. The expression employed by the Legislature is "used as golas, factories or mills" and not "used for golas, factories or mills". The expression "lands on which they stand" may include the land which is necessary for the efficient user of the building for the purpose for which it is intended to be used.We are unable however to hold that because a factory has, for the benefit of the workmen and managerial staff working in the factory, constructed buildings used as bungalows, quarters for employees, clubs, kitchens, garage, clubs, dispensary, rest-house, outhouses etc., but which are not directly used as factory or mill buildings, the buildings would be deemed to fall within S. 7 (1) as buildings in the possession of an intermediary and used as golas, factories or mills. In our judgment, these lands are homestead and are claimable by an intermediary under S. 5 (1): if they are used for the purpose of letting out they would be liable to pay fair and equitable ground-rent under the proviso to sub-s. (1) of section 5. 6. The High Court was, we think, in error in relying upon the definition of "factory" used in the Factories Act, 1948. The scheme and subject of the Factories Act are different. The Act is intended to regulate labour in factories, to protect workmen from being subjected to unduly long working hours, for making provisions for healthy and sanitary conditions of service, and for protecting the workmen from industrial hazards.The definition of "factory" in the Factories Act cannot be a guide, much less a useful guide, in determining the meaning of the expression "factory" as used in the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. The liability to pay rent under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950, on the footing that the land remained in the possession of the intermediary on which buildings or structures used as golas, factories or mills, for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce must be determined on the terms used in the Bihar Land Reforms Act, and not by incorporating words used in another statute of which the scheme and object are different. 7. The revenue authorities erred in holding that the entire area of 83 bighas odd was liable to be assessed to rent under S. 7 (1) of the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. Undoubtedly an area of 12 bighas 9 kathas 7 dhurs is liable to be assessed to rent under Section 7(1) of the Act. If there are other lands which strictly fall within the expression" buildings or structures together with the lands" used as golas, factories or mills for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce, it will be open to the Collector to assess those lands to rent under S. 7(1), but the lands not covered by buildings and structures used for golas, factories or mills, will be governed by S. 5(1) of the Act. 8. We are, on the materials on the record, unable to specify the buildings and lands falling within S. 7 of the Act for the purpose of determination of assessment of rent. The evidence on the record before us is not clear as to what structures or buildings stand on the lands in the outer enclosure and the purpose for which they are used. We are also not clear as to the precise meaning of the expression "golas" used in S. 7 - the expression not being defined in the Act.

Decision (1 = appeal accepted, 0 = rejected): 1

Explanation:
1[ds]It is clear from a bare perusal of sub-section (1) of S. 7 that the buildings which are primarily used as offices or cutcheries referred to in cl. (a) of S. 4 as were in the possession of an intermediary at the commencement of the Act are excluded from the terms of S. 7 (1). Again, Sub-s. (1) only applies to such buildings or structures together with the lands on which they stand which are used as golas, factories or mills for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce or used for storing grains or keeping cattle or implements for the purpose of agriculture. The expression employed by the Legislature is "used as golas, factories or mills" and not "used for golas, factories or mills". The expression "lands on which they stand" may include the land which is necessary for the efficient user of the building for the purpose for which it is intended to be used.We are unable however to hold that because a factory has, for the benefit of the workmen and managerial staff working in the factory, constructed buildings used as bungalows, quarters for employees, clubs, kitchens, garage, clubs, dispensary, rest-house, outhouses etc., but which are not directly used as factory or mill buildings, the buildings would be deemed to fall within S. 7 (1) as buildings in the possession of an intermediary and used as golas, factories or mills. In our judgment, these lands are homestead and are claimable by an intermediary under S. 5 (1): if they are used for the purpose of letting out they would be liable to pay fair and equitable ground-rent under the proviso to sub-s. (1) of section 56. The High Court was, we think, in error in relying upon the definition of "factory" used inthe Factories Act, 1948. The scheme and subject of the Factories Act are different. The Act is intended to regulate labour in factories, to protect workmen from being subjected to unduly long working hours, for making provisions for healthy and sanitary conditions of service, and for protecting the workmen from industrial hazards.The definition of "factory" in the Factories Act cannot be a guide, much less a useful guide, in determining the meaning of the expression "factory" as used in the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. The liability to pay rent under the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950, on the footing that the land remained in the possession of the intermediary on which buildings or structures used as golas, factories or mills, for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce must be determined on the terms used in the Bihar Land Reforms Act, and not by incorporating words used in another statute of which the scheme and object are different7. The revenue authorities erred in holding that the entire area of 83 bighas odd was liable to be assessed to rent under S. 7 (1) of the Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950. Undoubtedly an area of 12 bighas 9 kathas 7 dhurs is liable to be assessed to rent under Section 7(1) of the Act. If there are other lands which strictly fall within the expression" buildings or structures together with the lands" used as golas, factories or mills for the purpose of trade, manufacture or commerce, it will be open to the Collector to assess those lands to rent under S. 7(1), but the lands not covered by buildings and structures used for golas, factories or mills, will be governed by S. 5(1) of the Act8. We are, on the materials on the record, unable to specify the buildings and lands falling within S. 7 of the Act for the purpose of determination of assessment of rent. The evidence on the record before us is not clear as to what structures or buildings stand on the lands in the outer enclosure and the purpose for which they are used. We are also not clear as to the precise meaning of the expression "golas" used in S. 7 - the expression not being defined in the Act4. In our view, the order passed by the High Court cannot be sustained. It appears that there are two enclosures which comprise the total area of 83 bighas odd in respect of which the dispute arises. One is the inner enclosure in which are situate the buildings of the factory in which sugar is manufactured and the process of distillation of liquor is carried on. The outer enclosure consists of an area of 71 bighas 2 kathas and 12 dhurs. In the statement of land in the Khas possession of the company all these lands are described as used for residential quarters, cutcheri, dispensary,, bungalows, outhouses, kitchen quarters, latrines, garage, club, control office, watertank, "bakery house", cane office quarters, godowns,, weighbridge house,l etc." The dispute raised by the Company is that the land on which these buildings stand is homestead, and is governed by S. 5 of the Act.