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REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 10075-10076 of 2014

STATE OF KERALA AND ANR.     … APPELLANTS  

VERSUS

MOHAMMED BASHEER     … RESPONDENT

J  U  D  G  M  E  N  T

S. ABDUL NAZEER,  J.

1. The appellant-State of  Kerala has preferred these appeals challenging the

legality and correctness of the judgment passed by the High Court of Kerala in

M.F.A. No.160 of 1991 dated 18.09.2001 and the order in RP No.572 of 2001 in

M.F.A. No.160 of 1991 dated 06.02.2007.

2. The respondent herein filed a petition in the Forest Tribunal, Palakkad under

Section 8 of the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971 (for

short  'the KPF Act')  for settlement of the dispute in relation to land measuring

about  2  acres  bearing  R.S  No.  1200,  Muppenad  (now in  Vellar  mala  village)

Vythiri Taluk, Wynad district (for short 'the land').  In the petition, it was contended

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that one K.C. Kunji Moosa had orally leased the land in favour of the respondent's

father in the year 1962 and that his father was personally cultivating the land; after

the death of his father, he was personally cultivating the land.    It is not a private

forest  as  defined  under  Section  2(f)  of  the  KPF Act;  the  land was  principally

planted with coffee long before the appointed day;  thus, it had not vested in the

government  under  Section  3  of  the  KPF  Act;   he  was  issued  a  certificate  of

purchase under Section 72K of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963 (for short 'the

Land Reforms Act')  by the Land Tribunal in respect  of  the said land.    It  was

further contended that on 25.02.1987, the officials of Social Forestry Department

entered  the  land  and  destroyed  the  coffee  plants.   In  this  connection,  he  had

complained to the local police and the Village Officer, and that till 25.02.1987,

there was no obstruction for cultivating the land from the forest officials.   

3. The  appellants  filed  a  counter-affidavit  disputing  the  claim  of  the

respondent.  It was contended that the land has not been cultivated and that the

certificate of purchase produced by the respondent is not binding on them.   The

respondent  was  not  in  possession  of  the  land  as  on  the  date  of  vesting  or

subsequent to that date.  The land was vested in the government on 10.05.1971 and

is  under  the  custody  of  the  Forest  Department  since  then.   Since  there  is  no

evidence to show the respondent's title or possession over the land on the appointed

day, his claim under Sections 3(2) and 3(3) of the KPF Act is not sustainable.

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4. The Tribunal,  by its order dated 30.06.1990, dismissed the petition.  The

respondent challenged the said order by filing an appeal before the High Court.

The High Court, by its order dated 18.09.2001, allowed the writ petition and set

aside the order of the Tribunal.  The review petition filed by the appellant-State

was dismissed by the High Court on 06.02.2007.

5. Appearing  for  the  appellant-State,  Shri  Jaideep  Gupta,  learned  senior

counsel,  submits  that  the  local  inspection  report  shows  that  no  cultivation

whatsoever was seen in the land.  The Tribunal found that the land was a private

forest  at  the time of  coming into force of  the KPF Act.    The only document

produced by the respondent was the certificate of purchase issued by the Land

Tribunal  to  prove  his  title  to  the  property.  The  certificate  of  purchase  is  not

conclusive as regards the title and possession.  Forest Department was not a party

to the said proceedings and hence, it is not bound by the said certificate.   The other

documents produced by the respondent, such as revenue receipts do not prove title

of the respondent over the land.   It is argued that the respondent has failed to

establish his possession with valid title to the land as on 10.05.1974 or thereafter.

Therefore, the High Court was not justified in interfering with the order of the

Tribunal.

6. Shri K. Rajeev, learned counsel for the respondent submits that the father of

the respondent had taken the property in the year 1962.  In the year 1968 the land

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was planted with coffee. The respondent got possession of the property from his

father.  Since then, the respondent has been in possession of the land.  The Land

Tribunal took  suo motu proceedings under Rule 5 of the Kerala Land Reforms

(Vesting  and  Assignment)  Rules,  1970  (for  short  'Land  Reforms  Rules')  for

assignment of the right, title and interest of the said land to the cultivating tenant in

possession, under Section 72B of the Land Reforms Act.  The Land Tribunal, after

inquiry, issued certificate of purchase in favour of the respondent, as he was found

to be the cultivating tenant in possession of the said land.  The land is not a private

forest and it did not vest in the State in terms of sub-section (1) of Section 3 as it is

exempted  under  sub-section  (2)  of  Section  3  of  the  KPF  Act.  Taking  into

consideration the materials placed on record, the High Court has rightly allowed

the writ  petition.   In  the year  1987,  the Forest  officials  illegally  destroyed the

coffee cultivation claiming that it is a private Forest vested in the Government.  He

prays for dismissal of the appeals.   

7. We have carefully considered the submission of the learned counsel made at

the Bar.

8. The KPF Act has been enacted to provide for the vesting in the Government

of  private  forests  in  the  State  of  Kerala,  and  for  the  assignment  thereof  to

agriculturists and agricultural labourers for cultivation.  Section 3 is an important

section in this Act, in the sense that it provides for the vesting of all private forests

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in the State Government free from all encumbrances. But by virtue of sub-sections

(2) and (3), two categories of lands are exempted or excluded from the application

of the provision for vesting.  These provisions are as under:

"3.  Private  forests  to  vest  in  Government:-  (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the  time  being  in  force,  or  in  any  contract  or  other document, but subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3), with effect on and from the appointed day, the ownership and possession of all private forests in the State  of  Kerala  shall  by  virtue  of  this  Act,  stand transferred to and vested in the Government free from all encumbrances,  and  the  right,  title  and  interest  of  the owner  or  any  other  person  in  any  private  forest  shall stand extinguished. (2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply in respect of so much extent of land comprised in private forests held by an owner under his personal cultivation as is within the ceiling limit applicable to him under the Kerala  Land  Reforms  Act,  1963  (1  of  1964)  or  any building  or  structure  standing  thereon  or  appurtenant thereto.

Explanation:  -  For  the  purposes  of  this  sub- section, 'cultivation' includes cultivation of trees or plants of any species.  (3) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply in respect of so much extent of private forests held by an owner under a valid registered document of title executed before the appointed day and intended for cultivation by him,  which  together  with  other  lands  held  by  him  to which Chapter III of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963, is applicable, does not exceed the extent of the ceiling area applicable to him under Section 82 of the said Act."

   (emphasis supplied)

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9.  It is clear from sub-section (2) of Section 3 that the extent of land comprised

in private forests held by the owner under his personal cultivation is exempted

from  vesting,  if  the  ceiling  limit  under  the  Kerala  Land  Reforms  Act  is  not

exceeded.  Similarly, sub-section (3) of Section 3 does not apply in respect of so

much of extent of private forests as is held by an owner under a valid registered

document of title executed before the appointed day and intended for cultivation by

him, if the ceiling limit under Chapter III of the Kerala Land Reforms Act  is not

exceeded. The appointed day for the purpose of Section 3 is 10.5.1971, which is

clear from Section 2(a) of the KPF Act.           

10. The contention of the respondent is that his father had taken the land on

lease from K.C. Kunji Moosa in the year 1962, and that his father was cultivating

seasonal  crops  in  the  lands  till  1967.  He planted  coffee  in  the  year  1969.   In

pursuance of suo moto proceedings initiated by the Land Tribunal, the jenman right

(right of the landlord) was assigned in his favour.   In support of his contention, he

has produced exhibit A1, the certificate of purchase issued by the Land Tribunal

under  Section  72K  of  the  Land  Reforms  Act.   The  question  is  whether  this

document establishes the respondent's ownership and possession over the land as

on the date of  vesting in the government under the KPF Act and whether it  is

exempted from vesting in the State Government.

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11. The Land Reforms Act received the assent of the President on 31.12.1963.

Sections 2 to 71,  73 to  82,  84,  99 to  108 and 110 to 132 came into force on

01.01.1970. The expression "landlord" is defined in sub-section (29) of Section 2

as a person under whom a tenant holds and includes a landowner. "Landowner" is

defined in sub-section (30) of Section 2 as the owner of the land comprised in a

holding and includes (i) a landholder holding Sree Pandaravaka lands on pattam,

otti,  jenmam,  kudijenmam,  danam  or  any  other  tenure;  and  (ii)  a  landholder

holding Sreepadam lands on Sreepadam-pattam or other favourable tenure.  The

land in question is genmam land which is clear from the records.  Sub-section (32)

of Section 2 defines "Land Tribunal" as Land tribunal constituted under Section 99.

Sub-section (57) of Section 2 defines a "tenant" as any person who has paid or

agreed to pay rent or other consideration for his being allowed to possess and to

enjoy any land by a person entitled to lease that land.  It is an inclusive definition

containing clauses (a) to (j)   

12. Section 72 of the Land Reforms Act provides for vesting of landlord's rights

in Government. As per this provision, all right, title and interest of the landowners

and intermediaries  in  respect  of  holdings held by cultivating tenants  (including

holders of kudiyiruppus and  karaimas) entitled to fixity of tenure under Section 13

and in respect of which certificates of purchase under sub-section (2) of Section 59

have not been issued, vest in the Government free from all encumbrances created

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by the landowners and intermediaries subsisting thereon on the date to be notified

by the Government in that behalf in the Gazette.  

13. Section 72B of the Land Reforms Act lays down that the cultivating tenant

of any holding or part of a holding, the right, title and interest in respect of which

have vested in the Government under Section 72, shall be entitled to assignment of

such right, title and interest.

14. Sub-section  (1)  of  Section  72K states  that  as  soon  as  may  be  after  the

determination of the purchase price under Section 72F or the passing of an order

under sub-section (3) of Section 72MM, the Land Tribunal shall issue a certificate

of purchase to the cultivating tenant, and thereupon the right, title and interest of

the  landowner  and the  intermediaries,  if  any,  in  respect  of  the  holding or  part

thereof to which the certificate relates, shall vest in the cultivating tenant free from

all  encumbrances  created  by the  landowner  or  the  intermediaries,  if  any.  Sub-

section (2) of Section 72K states that the certificate of purchase issued as above,

shall  be conclusive proof of the assignment to the tenant of the right,  title and

interest of the landowner and the intermediaries, if any, over the holding or portion

thereof to which the assignment relates. These two provisions are as under:

"72K. Issue of certificate of purchase – (1)    As soon as may  be  after  the  determination  of  the  purchase  price under Section 72F [or the passing of an order under sub- section (3)  of  Section 72MM] the Land Tribunal  shall issue a certificate of purchase to the cultivating tenant, and  thereupon  the  right,  title  and  interest  of  the

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landowner and the intermediaries, if any, in respect of the holding or  part  thereof to which the certificate  relates, shall  vest  in  the  cultivating  tenant  free  from  all encumbrances  created  by  the  landowner  or  the intermediaries, if any.  

Explanation –  For  the  removal  of  doubts,  it  is hereby  declared  that  on  the  issue  of  the  certificate  of purchase, the landowner or any intermediary shall have no right in the land comprised in the holding, and all his rights including rights, if any, in respect of trees reserved for his enjoyment shall stand extinguished.  (2)       The  certificate of purchase issued as above, shall  be  conclusive  proof  of  the  assignment  to  the tenant of the right, title and interest of the landowner and  the  intermediaries,  if  any,  over  the  holding  or portion thereof to which the assignment relates."     

      (emphasis supplied)

15. Section 102 of  the Land Reforms Act authorises the Government or  any

person aggrieved by any order of the Land Tribunal to file an appeal within such

time, as may be prescribed, to the Appellate Authority.

16. Rule 5 of the Land Reforms Rules authorizes the Land Tribunal to initiate

suo motu proceedings; which is as under:

"5. Land Tribunal to initiate suo motu proceedings. – (1) Where a Land Tribunal receives information that the right,  title  and  interest  of  the  landowner  and intermediaries in respect of a holding or part of a holding situate  within  its  jurisdiction  have  vested  in  the Government under Section 72, it shall,  notwithstanding that  an  application  referred  to  in  Rule  4  has  not  been received in respect  of that  holding or part,  as the case may be,  of  its  own motion assign such right,  title  and interest to the cultivating tenants entitled thereto in the manner hereinafter provided."

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17. As noticed above, sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the KPF Act provides for

the exemption of the private forest from vesting.  It states that the land comprised

in private forest held by an owner under his personal cultivation is exempted from

vesting, if the ceiling limit under the Kerala Land Reforms Act is not exceeded.

The land in question measures about 2 acres.   It is not the case of the appellants

that the land exceeds the ceiling limit under the Kerala Land Reforms Act. The

expression 'held by the owner under his  personal  cultivation'  contained in sub-

section (2) of Section 3 of the KPF Act is crucial. To bring the land under the

exempted category,  the claimant should hold the same as an owner and that  it

should be under his personal cultivation. 'To own' is to have good legal title to hold

and  possess  the  property.  Black's  Law Dictionary,  Ninth  Edition  defines  the

word 'own' as 'to rightfully have or possess as property; to have legal title to'.  

18. It is well settled that when the enactment enjoins that any evidence would be

treated as a conclusive proof of certain factual situation or legal hypothesis, the law

would forbid other  evidence to be adduced for  the purpose of  contradicting or

varying the aforesaid conclusiveness.  This is the principle embodied in Section 4

of  the  Evidence  Act,  1872  when  it  defines  "conclusive  proof"  (See:

Cheeranthoodika  Ahmmedkutty  and  Anr.  v. Parambur Mariakutty  Umma

and Ors.  reported in 2000 (2) SCC 417).

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19. In the instant case, the land in question is jenmam land. The Land Tribunal

initiated  suo  motu proceedings  under  Rule  5  of  the  Land  Reform Rules,  after

obtaining information that the cultivating tenant had been in possession, obviously

on a report of the revenue inspector.  It is evident from Section 74 of the Land

Reforms Act that any tenancy after 01.04.1964 is prohibited. Any tenancy created

after that date is invalid. The Land Tribunal initiating proceedings under Section

72B in favour of the cultivating tenant would be considering the possession of a

tenant as on the said date which is far earlier than the KPF Act.  Possession and

title under the certificate of purchase have to relate back to a date prior to the date

of vesting under the Land Reforms Act, i.e. 01.04.1964.   Therefore, there is no

question of vesting of the land in the Government under the KPF Act which has

come into force subsequent to the date of Land Reforms Act.  As noted above, the

certificate  of  purchase  issued  under  the  Land  Reforms  Act  is  attributed  with

statutory conclusiveness as regards ownership/title under sub-section (2) of Section

72K.   The certificate issued by a competent Land Tribunal after finding that the

tenant was in possession of the property as a cultivating tenant is a conclusive

proof of possession as well.   

20. In the instant case, certificate of purchase has been issued in favour of the

respondent after enquiry by the Land Tribunal.  Though the State Government is

not  a  party to this  order,  there was no bar  for  it  to  challenge this  order  under

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Section 102 of the Land Reforms Act. No appeal has been filed challenging the

certificate of purchase either by the Government or by any other person. Thus, the

certificate of purchase has become final.

21. To sum up,  the certificate  of  purchase was issued by the Land Tribunal,

under sub-section (1) of Section 72K.  Sub-section (2) of Section 72K of the Land

Reforms Act clearly states that the certificate of purchase issued under sub-section

(1) shall be a conclusive proof of the assignment to the tenant of the right, title and

interest of the landlord and the intermediaries, if any, over the holding or portion

thereof  to which the assignment relates. Thus whatever right, title and interest, the

landlord had in the land, has been assigned in favour of the respondent under the

certificate of purchase.  Therefore, it can safely be concluded that the respondent is

the owner of the land as he has legal title to hold the said land. As noticed above,

the certificate is also a conclusive proof of the fact that the respondent has been in

possession of the land as a cultivating tenant right from the date of vesting of the

land under the Kerala Land Reforms Act.   In our view, the land in question is

exempted from vesting in the State under sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the KPF

Act.                  

22. In Kunjanam Antony (Dead) by LRs. v. State of Kerala and Anr. (2003)

3 SCC 221, relied on by the learned senior counsel for the appellants, it has been

held that the order of the Thaluka Land Board is a piece of evidence so far as the

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proceedings under the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971

are  concerned,  but  it  cannot  be  treated  as  binding  on  the  authorities.   In  this

judgment,  the statutory conclusiveness of  title  under  sub-section (2)  of  Section

72K of the Land Reforms Act has not been considered.  Apart from the above, it

was held that the certificate of purchase is also a piece of evidence which cannot be

totally discarded.  In the instant case, the respondent has established that he is the

owner and in possession of the land on the appointed day on the basis of certificate

of purchase and other materials placed on record.

23. The appeals are devoid of merit and are accordingly dismissed without order

as to costs.

………………………………J. (S. ABDUL NAZEER)

………………………………J. (DEEPAK GUPTA)

New Delhi; January 22, 2019.