Summarize the following court judgment. ivil Appeal No. 341 of 1973. From the Judgment and Order dated 26.2.1971 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in L.P.A. No. 566/1968. Harbans Singh for the Appellants. R.S. Sodhi and S.K. Sinha for the Respondents. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by KHALID	 J. This is an appeal by certificate against the Judgment of a full bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dated 20th November	 1970. The question involved in this appeal is ingenious but untenable. The question re ferred to the full bench reads as follows: "Whether after the re organisation of the State of Punjab the land owners owning land in both the States of Punjab and Haryana can claim to retain the permissible area in each State separately after 1st of November	 1966. If so	 whether an order declaring the area to be surplus passed prior to the date above said	 but which order has not been implemented and the surplus land so declared has not in fact been utilised would continue to have effect after said date?" Now the facts. Balwant Singh was a displaced person from West Pakistan. He owned in all 67 standard acres of land distributed in various villages. According to him he had sold some properties to strangers and the remaining in favour of his wife and minor son in 1957. On 8th November	 1960	 when proceedings under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act	 1930 (for short the Act) were initiated ' the Special Collector	 Punjab	 declared 29 standard acres be longing to him as surplus area. While doing so	 the trans fers made by him mentioned above	 were ignored. He had an option to choose the property which fell to his share. He opted for the entire land belonging to him and situated in village Samani as his permissible area and did not opt for any area in Mohamad Pera	 District Ferozepore. The Special Collector reserved for him about 18 standard acres out of his holding in village Dhab Kharial in order to make up his permissible area of 50 standard acres. This part of the order of the Special Collector	 though 695 challenged in appeal	 was confirmed by the Commissioner	 Jullundar Division on 5th January	 1965	 since the appeal before him was held to be barred by limitation. The appel lant pursued the matter before the Financial Commissioner	 Planning	 Punjab	_by filing a revision. This was dismissed on 19 2 1965. On 1st November	 1966	 the 	 (for short	 Re organisation Act) came into force. The State of Punjab was distributed under the Act to the present State of Punjab	 State of Haryana	 Union Territory of Chand igarh and Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh. In December	 1966	 Balwant Singh	 his wife and his minor son filed a writ petition for the issuance of necessary directions to the States of Punjab and Haryana restraining them from utilising the surplus area declared by the Special Collector by his order dated 8 11 1960. It is relevant to note here that the original properties that belonged to him fell within the new State of Punjab and the new State of Haryana. The matter came before a learned Single Judge. The following questions were raised before him: (1) That after the States Reorganisation	 persons owning lands both in the State of Punjab and Haryana could claim that they should be allowed permissible area in both the States separately	 (2) that orders passed regarding surplus area prior to 1st November	 1966	 and which area had not been utilised till then	 should be deemed to have no effect and (3) that the proceedings declaring surplus land were bad for want of notice to the transferees. These contentions were repelled by the learned Single Judge. He took the matter in appeal. The Division Bench before whom the appeal was posted felt that an important question was involved and therefore referred the appeal to a larger bench. The full Bench considered the matter in detail and held that the order declaring the area to be surplus passed before 1st November	 1966	 would continue to have effect after that date	 even if that order had not been implemented and persons owning land in the newly created States is not	 in law	 entitled for a separate allotment under the Act. It is this conclusion of the Full Bench that is assailed before us on the strength of a certificate issued by the Court Balwant Singh had more than the permissible area	 viz.	 50 standard acres with him. The excess area was liable to be declared as surplus. Surplus area was declared by the Spe cial Collector	 by his 696 order dated November 8	 1960. It was confirmed in appeal and in revision. The revisional order is dated 19th February	 1965	 that is before 1st November 1966	 when the Re organi sation Act came into force. As indicated above	 by virtue of the Re organisation of the two States	 a part of his hold ings fell in the territory of the State of Haryana and another part in the State of Punjab. He evolved a contention that he could have 50 standard acres of land in each of the two States. On this basis	 he questioned the order dated 8th November.	 1960. He supported this argument with the addi tional plea that the said order had not been implemented and the land declared surplus not utilised. The question that fell to be decided by the full Bench was whether the order which had become final would continue to have effect after the date of enforcement of the Re organisation Act when that order had not been given effect to and the surplus area had not been utilized by the Govern ment. Under the Scheme of the Act	 it is the entire holding of a person on 15th April	 1953	 that is to be taken into consideration for. determining his surplus area. The Govern ment acquires the right to utilize the surplus area of a person against whom an order of declaration has been made for the resettlement of tenants ejected or to be ejected. Sections 9(1)(i) and 10A(a)	 which read as follows	 make the position clear: "9(1). Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force	 no land owner shall be competent to eject a tenant except when such tenant (i) is a tenant on the area reserved under this Act or is a tenant of a small land owner; or. . . ." "10A(a) The State Government or any officer empowered by it in this behalf	 shall be competent to utilise any surplus area for the re settlement of tenants ejected	 or to be ejected	 under clause (i) of sub section ( 1 ) of Section 9. " It was contended before the High Court and repeated before us that the order did not get finality unless the surplus area had in fact been utilised	 and tenants re settled there. This contention did not find 697 favour with the High Court. We will presently examine wheth er the contention has any merit. It is true that along with the order declaring the land of an owner as surplus	 a corresponding right & duty accrues to the Government to utilise the surplus area for the re settlement of tenants. In other words	 the rights on the land declared as surplus get vested in the Government	 to be distributed amongst the tenants for re settlement. This is an indefeasible right that the Government secures. The appellant is not well rounded in his contention that he could get back the land if the surplus had not been utilised. There is nothing in the Act which imposes any time limit for the Government to utilise the land for the purpose mentioned in the Act. Nor is there any provision enabling the owner of the land to claim back the land and to get it restored to him if utili zation is not made by the Government within a specified period. All that the Act contains by way of exception is what is seen in Section 10A(b). If at the time of the com mencement of the Act	 the land is acquired by the Government under the relevant acquisition laws or when it is a case of inheritance	 the owner could claim exclusion of such land from his land for fixation of his ceiling under the Act. The second exception itself is further lettered by the provision in Section 10 B that where succession had opened after the surplus area or any part thereof had been utilised under Section 10A(a)	 the saving specified in favour of an heir by inheritance would not apply in respect of the area so uti lised. To put it short	 the Government had under the Act an unfettered right without time limit to utilise the land for re settlement of tenants subject to the two exceptions mentioned above. It is	 of course	 desirable that re settle ment should be done as expeditiously as possible. Inaction on the part of the Government to re settle the tenants will not clothe the owner with a power for restoration of the land. The contention of the appellant based on non utilisa tion of the land has	 therefore	 to fail. The second question is whether the appellant is entitled to have the best of the two worlds; in other words	 to have his quota of full 50 acres in Punjab and another 50 acres in Haryana. Section 88 of the Re organisation Act makes the position clear. It reads as follows: "The provisions of Part II shall not be deemed to have effected any change in the territories to which any law in force immediately before the appointed day extends or applies	 and territorial references in any such law to the State of Punjab shall	 until otherwise provid ed by a competent Legislature or other compe tent authority	 be construed as meaning the territories within that State 698 immediately before the appointed day. " As per this Section the provisions of the Act which was applicable to the old State of Punjab would continue to apply to the new State. In other words the order passed before 1st November	 1966	 which became final	 declaring the surplus area	 would be given effect to and the order would be implemented uninfluenced by the division of the State. After the Re organisation Act	 the Governer of Haryana in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 89 of the Re organisation Act passed an order by name Haryana Adaptation of Laws (States and Concurrent Subjects) Order	 1968	 on 23 10 1968 making it to take effect retrospectively from 1st November	 1966. Clauses 10 and 11 of the order read as follows: "10. The provisions of this order which adapt or modify any law so as to alter the manner in which	 the authority by which	 or the law under or in accordance with which any powers are exercisable shall not render invalid any notification	 order	 licence	 permission	 award	 commitment	 attachment	 by law. Rule or regulation duly made or issued	 or anything duly done	 before the appointed day; and any such notification	 order licence	 permission	 award	 commitment	 attachment	 bye law	 rule	 regulation or thing may be revoked	 varied or undone in likemanner	 to the like extent and in the like circumstances as if it has been made	 issued	 or done after the commencement of this order by the competent authority and under and in accordance with the provisions then applicable to such a case. Nothing in this Order shall affect the previous operation of	 or anything duly done or suffered under any existing State law or any right	 privilege	 obligation or liability already acquired	 accrued or incurred under any such law	 or any penalty	 forfeiture or punishment incurred in respect of any offence already committed against any such law. " A combined reading of these two clauses makes it clear that any order made or anything done or any liability in curred or a right accrued before the 1st November	 1966 would not be affected by the coming into force of the order. These two clauses show unambiguously that the respective State Governments would be entitled to give effect 699 to orders passed before 1st November	 1966	 declaring the surplus area by utilising them for the re settlement of the tenants	 despite the reorganisation of the State of Punjab. The orders passed will be respected by both the States. The fact that the land belonging to a particular owner	 under fortuitous circumstances	 fall in the two newly formed States	 will not in any way affect the operation of the orders which had become final prior to 1st November	 1966. To accept the appellant 's contention would create anomalies. Persons against whom proceedings under the Act were taken and became final prior to 1st November	 1966	 would be entitled to claim lands in both the States while those whose petitions are pending on the date the States Reorganisation Act came into force would be in a disadvantageous position. This is not the object of the Act. Nor the scheme behind it. The States re organisation was a historical accident. The land owners cannot take advantage of this accident	 to the detriment of ejected tenants or tenants in need of re set tlement. For the above reasons	 we hold that the High Court was justified in answering the question referred to it against the appellant. The appeal is accordingly dismissed. There will be no order as to costs. S.R. Appeal dis missed.

Balwant Singh was a displaced person from West Pakistan. He owned in all 67 standard acres of land distributed in various villages. On 8.11.1960 when proceedings under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act	 1930 were initiated	 the Special Collector	 Punjab	 declared 29 standard acres belonging to him as surplus area. While doing so	 the trans fers made by him were ignored. He had an option to choose the property which fell to his share. He opted for the entire land belonging to him and situated in village Semani as his permissible area and did not opt for any area in Mohamad Pera	 District Ferozepure. The Special Collector reserved for him about 18 standard acres out of his holding in village Dhav Kharial in order to make up his permissible area of 50 standard acres. This part of the order of the Special Collector became final. On 1.11.1966	 the came into force and as a result thereof	 the original properties that belonged to Balwant Singh fell within the new State of Punjab and the new State of Haryana. In December 1966	 Balwant Sigh	 his wife and his minor son filed a writ peti tion for the issuance of necessary directions to the States of Punjab and Haryana restraining them from utillsing the surplus area declared by the Special Collector by his order dated 8.11.1960. A learned Single Judge repelled all the following three contentions; (1) that after the States Reorganisation	 persons owning lands both in the State of Punjab and Haryana could claim that they should be allowed 692 permissible area in both the States separately; (2) that orders passed regarding surplus area prior to 1st November	 1966	 and which area had not been utilised till then	 should be deemed to have no effect; and (3) that the proceedings declaring surplus land were bad for want of notice to the transferees. When the matter was taken up in appeal	 the Division Bench felt that an important question was involved and therefore referred the appeal to a Full Bench. The Full Bench considered the matter in detail and held that the order declaring the area to be surplus passed before Ist November	 1966	 would continue to have effect after that date	 even if that order had not been implemented and per sons owning land in the newly created States is not	 in law	 entitled for a separate allotment under the Act. Hence the appeal by certificate. Dismissing the appeal	 the Court	 HELD: 1.1 Under the scheme of the Punjab Security of Land Tenure Act	 1930	 It is the entire holding of a person on 15th April	 1953	 that is to be taken into consideration for determining his surplus area. The Government acquires the right to utilize the surplus area of a person against whom an order of declaration has been made for the resettle ment of tenants ejected or to be ejected. [696D E] 1.2 It is true that alongwith the order declaring the land of an owner as surplus	 a corresponding right and duty accrues to the Government to utilise the surplus area for the re settlement of tenants. In other words	 the rights on the land declared as surplus get vested in the Government to be distributed amongst the tenants for re settlement. This is an indefeasible right that the Government secures. There fore	 the appellant cannot get back the land	 if the surplus land had not been utilised. [697A C] 1.3 There is nothing in the Act which imposes any time limit for the government to utilise the land for the purpose mentioned in the Act. Nor is there any provision enabling the owner of the land to claim back the land and to get it restored to him if utilization is not made by the government within a specified period. All that the Act contains by way of exception is what is seen in section 10A(b). If at the time of the commencement of the Act	 the land is acquired by the government under the relevant acquisition laws or when it is a case of inheritance	 the owner could claim exclusion of such land from his land for fixation of his ceiling under the Act. The second exception itself is further lettered 693 by the provision in section lOB that where succession had opened after the surplus area or any part thereof had been utilised under section 10A(a)	 the saving specified in favour of an heir by inheritance would not apply in respect of the area so utilised. To put it short	 the government had under the Act an unfettered right without time limit to utilise the land for re settlement of tenants subject to the two exceptions. Though it is desirable that re settlement should be done as expeditiously as possible	 inaction on the part of the government to resettle the tenants will not clothe the owner with a power for restoration of the land. [697B F] 2.1 The appellant is not entitled to have the best of the two worlds; in other words to have his quota of full 50 acres in Punjab and another 50 acres in Haryana	 this is so because Section 88 of the makes the provisions of the Act which was applicable to the old State of Punjab would continue to apply to the new State. In other words	 the order passed before 1.11.1966	 which became final	 declaring the surplus area would be given effect to and the order would be implemented uninflu enced by the division of the State. [697F G; 698B] 2.2 A combined reading of clauses 10 and 11 of the Haryana Adaptation of Laws (States and Concurrent Subjects) Order	 1968 also makes it clear that any order made or anything done or any liability incurred or a right accrued before the 1st November	 1966 would not be affected by the coming into force of the order. [698G H] 2.3 Clauses 10 and 11 show unambiguously that the re spective State Governments would be entitled to give effect to orders passed before 1st November	 1966	 declaring the surplus area by utilising them for the re settlement of the tenants	 despite the re organisation of the State of Punjab. The orders passed will be respected by both the States. The fact that the land belonging to a particular owner	 under fortuitous circumstances	 fail in the two newly formed States	 will not in any way affect the operation of the orders which had become final prior to 1st November	 1966. To accept the appellant 's contention would create anomalies. Persons against whom proceedings under the Act were taken and became final prior to 1st November	 1966	 would be entitled to claim lands in both the States wile those whose petitions are pending on the date the States Re organisation Act came into force would be in a disadvantageous position. This is not the object of the Act. Nor the scheme behind it. The States re organisation was a historical accident. The land owners cannot take advantage of this accident	 to the detriment of ejected tenants or tenants in need of re set tlement. [698H; 699A C] 694