MOHD SHAFIQ Vs. D D C

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard counsel for the petitioner as well as counsel for the respondents.

(2.) Dissatisfied with the arrangements of chak made by the Assistant Consolidation Officer, the contesting respondent nos. 2 to 4 filed objections before the Consolidation Officer which was dismissed by the Consolidation Officer vide order dated 28.10.1987. Against the order dated 28.10.1987, respondents filed an appeal before the Settlement Officer of Consolidation which was also dismissed vide order dated 28.10.1988. Against the order dated 28.10.1988 passed by the Settlement Officer of Consolidation, the contesting respondent nos. 2 to 4 filed a revision under Section 48 of the Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 (hereinafter referred to as, 'Act, 1953') before the Deputy Director of Consolidation, Ghazipur i.e. respondent no. 1 which was numbered as Revision No. 577/914/177. The aforesaid revision was allowed by respondent no. 1 vide judgment and order dated 20.1.1992. The order dated 20.1.1992 passed by respondent no. 1 has been challenged in the present writ petition.

(3.) It transpires from the record that Plot No. 455 was the original holding of contesting respondent nos. 2 to 4 and they had their private source of irrigation on the said plot. Plot No. 468 was the original holding of the petitioner. The petitioner had his private source of irrigation on Plot No. 453/1. The arrangements of chak as proposed by the Assistant Consolidation Officer was in a manner that even though contesting respondent nos. 2 to 4 were given the largest chak on Plot No. 455 but an area approximately 0-4-2 from Plot No. 455 was reduced and added to the chak of the petitioner so that his private source of irrigation existing on Plot No. 453/1, which was chucked out of the consolidation proceedings, could also be used for irrigation of Plot No. 468 through the newly added area in the chak of the petitioner. The aforesaid chak of the petitioner was formed by consolidating areas from Plot Nos. 455 and 456. The effect of the said arrangements made by the Assistant Consolidation Officer was that the formation of chak violated the principle of the rectangulation as provided in Section 19(1)(g) of the Act, 1953 and also deprived respondent nos. 2 to 4 of the advantage of having their private source of irrigation on Plot No. 455. The Deputy Director of Consolidation i.e. respondent no. 1 vide his impugned order dated 20.1.1992 has re-arranged the chaks whereby the contesting respondents have been given a chak which includes the total original area of Plot No. 455 and follows the principle of rectangulation as provided in Section 19 of the Act, 1953. Through the order dated 20.1.1992, respondent no. 1 has allotted chak to the petitioner on his original holdings.