(1.) Issue of significant importance concerning the Doctrine of Merger and that of Res judicata would arise for consideration in the present writ petition. At stake is the right of the petitioners and that of respondent No. 2 concerning the property, which was mortgaged before partition by respondent No. 2 to a person, who migrated to Pakistan after partition. Whether such a mortgaged property become evacuee property to be dealt with by custodian would be another important question requiring determination ?.
(2.) THE petitioners while challenging order, Annexure P6, passed by District and Sessions Judge, Hoshiarpur (respondent No. 1) exercising revisional powers under the Evacuee Interest (Separation) Act, 1951 (for short "the Act") would urge that respondent No. 1 could not have set at naught the proceedings finally determined by competent officer after 16 years, that too without sufficient cause shown, when the sale in favour of the petitioners had been confirmed and finalised much earlier.
(3.) IT is stated that the claim in respect of mortgage deed dated March 10, 1947 though was not submitted in time, but still the competent officer entertained the claim on October 12, 1962. He accordingly ordered that mortgagee can redeem the land on payment of Rs. 8002/- (Rs. 2/- being notice charges). The money was required to be deposited in the treasury and the challan was to be presented before the competent officer on November 17, 1962. The mortgage amount, however, was not deposited. The competent officer extended the time upto January 1, 1963. Neither the amount was deposited on the date fixed nor the mortgagee appeared before the competent officer.