KRISHNAN NAIR Vs. ABDU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN these cases the validity of S. 11-A of the Kerala Agriculturists Debt Relief Act, 31 of 1958, which provides for the premature termination of melpattoms granted by an agriculturist before the commencement of the Act for periods of two years or more on application made by the grantor, is challenged by the grantees, melpattomdars as they are called. The original petitions are such applications withdrawn to this court under Article 228 of the Constitution while the revision petitions and the appeal are from orders made by subordinate courts on such applications. The cases have been referred to a Full Bench because of the general importance of the questions involved.

(2.) S. 11-A runs as follows:

(3.) THE deed in the second appeal may be taken as illustrative of the deeds in the remaining oases. (THE deed in C.R.P. No. 1001 of 1961 is not in the record. It appears to have been put in evidence in a prior case under S. 9(3) of the Act. But the order of the lower court shows that it was an ordinary melpattom deed in respect of coconut trees for a period of eight years at a rent of Rs. 100/- per year paid in advance):