P MUNIAN Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The short question that arises for consideration in this appeal is if the land in dispute is, 'minor Inam' as defined in sub-section (9) of Section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act 1963 (Act 30 of 1963) (hereinafter referred to as 'Act 30 of 1963') or it is, 'new-main estate' under Act 26 of 1963.

(2.) Proceedings commenced on an application filed under Section 5 of Act 30 of 1963 by the Devasthanam landholder-respondent for declaration that the land in dispute of Title Deed No. 837 situated in Village Annapettai was minor inams as defined in Act 30 of 1963. The claim was contested both by the tenants appellants and the State Government. The application was allowed by the Settlement Officer. It was found that even though the original grant had not been made available by the respondents nor extracts from Inam Fair Register were filed, yet there was material available on the record for arriving at a decision about the nature of the land. It was held that the original grant for Title Deeds Nos. 836, 838 and 839 were available. Since these grants established that the land carved out of the village had been given to these institutions it was clear that the grant in favour of the respondents was not of the whole village. And the provisions of S. 3(2)(d) of Act I of 1908 were not attracted. It was also held that land covered by Title Deed No. 837 did not form part of an existing main estate. The Settlement Officer further found that the land was neither a part village in an estate or a minor main as from Exhibits P-S and P-6 it was clear that even though suit lands were situated in a compact block they did not conform a homogenous area within the village as there was mixture of other main or roytwari lands in its midst. In appeal the order was upheld. The appellate authority found that neither party led any oral evidence and the claim of the parties was to be decided on basis of certain documents which had been filed by the respondents. It held that there was nothing to show that the land covered by four title deeds formed part of the single grant originally and that the grant was subsequently divided into four parts. Nor did it find any merit in the submission that Exs. P-2 and P-3 indicated that the grant was of a named village. The appellate authority agreed with the Settlement Officer that the summary map, Ex. P-5, and the Ex. P-6 map indicated that the suit land was situated along with other main or ryotwari lands. In further revision to the High Court it was held that the question about the nature of the lands was pre-eminently a question of fact and the finding being based on evidence on record was not liable to interference. Even then it examined the submission advanced on behalf of appellants that the land constituted 'new main estate' falling under Sec. 2(9) of Act 26 of 1963. The High Court found that a perusal of the three grants, namely, Title Deeds Nos. 836, 838, and 839 indicated that it was made only with reference to the acreage and conies and with reference to paimash numbers. The High Court agreed with the appellate authority and the Settlement Officer that the evidence clearly established that the grant in favour of all the three other institutions comprised lands which were interspersed with fields which were not the subject-matter of the grant. Therefore, a clear inference arose that the rest and the residue of the lands of the village should also have been in terms of, acreage and cawnies and not as recognisable part or as a factional share of the village as such. The High Court found that this inference was strengthened by the survey maps as well as the original paimash register filed by the respondent. It did not find any merit in the submission advanced on behalf of appellant founded on the final assessment list published in the District Gazette for the inam lands in the Thiruthuraipoondi Taluk. The reason for this was that the definition in Act 40 of 1956 clearly indicated that full assessment of inam lands covered not merely the whole village inams or inam village falling within the definition of the expression 'estate' under the Estates Land Act, but also any land the grant of which was made as an inam and confirmed or recognised by the Government as such. The High Court found that since the definition in Act 40 of 1956 covered both the whole inam estate and minor inam estate, therefore, an order passed under Act 40 of 1956 levying full assessment on inam land would cover not only inam estates but also minor inams.

(3.) 'Minor Inam' under sub-section (9) of Section 2 of Act No. 30 of 1963 means,