Laskar Ali Mollah and 54 Ors v. The State of Assam and 3 Ors

ORDER

26.11

.2024

Heard Mr. J. Abbas, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. S. Baruah, learned Junior Government Advocate for the State respondent. This writ petition has been filed by the petitioners challenging the eviction proceedings as well as the non-settlement of the land in favour of the petitioners pursuant to the applications so filed by the petitioners. The petitioners have filed these writ petitions challenging eviction proceedings and non-settlement of land despite their applications. Page No.# 7/8 The Supreme Court's judgment in Jagpal Singh & Others vs. State of Punjab (2011) 11 SCC 396 is a landmark ruling regarding the protection and preservation of Village Grazing Reserves (VGR) and other community lands in India. This case fundamentally addresses the issue of settlement of lands that are designated for the common use of the community, specifically focusing on grazing lands, ponds, and other common property resources (CPRs) that are vital for the livelihood and ecological balance of rural communities. In this case, a number of petitioners had sought the settlement of land that was categorized as Village Grazing Reserves (VGR). These VGRs were traditionally used for grazing cattle and other agricultural activities that benefit the local community. The petitioners contended that they should be allowed to settle on these lands, primarily due to long-term occupancy or other socio-economic factors. From the above discussion, it reveals that providing allotment/settlement of land to the petitioners may be considered in the waste lands of Government of Assam as per Government Land Policy subject to availability of the Government waste lands and fulfilment of the eligibility criteria of the by the applicant. It was further mentioned that the petitioners are required to apply afresh for allotment/settlement of land subject to genuineness and authenticity of the applications. Accordingly, this Court, therefore, grants the liberty to the petitioners to file applications within 45 (forty five) days from today seeking allotment/settlement of land as per the extant Land Policy of 2019 of the Government of Assam. The respondent authorities, i.e. the District Commissioner, Barpeta as well as the Revenue and Disaster Management Department of the Government of Assam shall duly consider the applications of Page No.# 8/8 the petitioners and also take into consideration that the instant applications are a continuation of the applications which the petitioners have filed earlier. It is further made clear that till the disposal of the applications of the petitioners, the respondent authorities shall not take any coercive action against the petitioners provide the petitioners file their applications within 45 (forty five) days from today with supporting documents. With the above, the instant petitions stand disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/8 GAHC010233952017 ooooooo undefined ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/1763/2017o LASKARoALIoMOLLAHoando54oORS.o S/O.oLT.oTAHAJUDDINoMOLLAH 2:oMOTLEBoALI oS/O.oLT.oAKBORoALI 3:oRUKANoALI oS/O.oLT.oNOIMUDDIN 4:oOMARoALI oS/O.oLT.oASKARoALI 5:oHATEMoALI oS/O.oLT.oKASEMoALI 6:oJAHARoALI oS/O.oLT.oMAYANoMUNSHI 7:oHASENoALI oS/O.oLT.oMAYANoMUNSHI 8:oRIAZUDDIN oS/O.oMD.oJAHARoALI 9:oJADABoALI oS/O.oLT.oPASAN PageoNo.#o2/8 10:oAINALoHOQUE oS/O.oLT.oINTAZoALI 11:oSAHIDoALI oS/O.oLT.oINTAZoALIo@oJARUoSHEIKH 12:oMONNAFoALI oS/O.oLT.oIBRAHIMoALI 13:oMAZIBORoRAHMAN oS/O.oLT.oAYUBoALI 14:oRAHAMoALI oS/O.oLT.oHAZRAToALI 15:oATAFoALI oS/O.oLT.oJAFARoALI 16:oSURUZoZAMAN oS/O.oBABURoALI 17:oKHALEQUEoALI oS/O.oGADUoMANDAL 18:oKURBANoALI oS/O.oMAYANUDDIN 19:oJAINAL oS/O.oJAMAL 20:oKISMAToALI oS/O.oLT.oISARoALI 21:oASMAToALI oS/O.oLT.oKADERoALI 22:oHABIBARoALI PageoNo.#o3/8 oS/O.oLT.oMALEKoALI 23:oMAJIBARoALI oS/O.oLATYEoMALEKoALI 24:oAINALoHOQUE oS/O.oLT.oMAJIBARoALI 25:oAKBARoALI oS/O.oLT.oKASEMoALI 26:oJAKALUDDIN oS/O.oLT.oASMAToALI 27:oHABEZUDDIN oS/O.oLT.oNAZRUL 28:oSOHRABoALI oS/O.oMUJAHARoALI 29:oMOKSEDoALI oS/O.oLToHUSENoALI 30:oWAZUDDIN oS/O.oLT.oABDULoBAREK 31:oJAMAL oS/O.oWAZUDDIN 32:oNAYEBoALI oS/O.oLT.oASIMUDDIN 33:oKADAMoALI oS/O.oLT.oSANTAZoALI 34:oFAKIRSHANoALI PageoNo.#o4/8 oS/O.oLT.oMORTUZoALI 35:oIMANoALI oS/O.oINTAZoALIo@oIJJALoALI 36:oKADERoALI oS/O.oLT.oAMIRoALI 37:oSAJAHANoALI oS/O.oLT.oDELBARoALI 38:oKHURSHEDoMOLLAH oS/O.oLT.oTAHAJUDDINoMOLLAH 39:oNAYANoMOLLAH oS/O.oLT.oTAHAJUDDINoMOLLAH 40:oASRABoALI oS/O.oLT.oJUBBARoALI 41:oKADERoALI oS/O.oMD oMAYANUDDIN 42:oAIMOND oW/O.oLT.oASRABoALI 43:oMUKTARoALI oS/O.oLT.oMOSHALoALI 44:oSAHARoALI oS/O.oLT.oFAIZUDDIN 45:oAZIBARoALI oS/O.oMD.oMUKSHEDoALI 46:oJAINAL Page No.# 5/8 S/O. ABDUL HAI 47: AKBAR ALI S/O. LT. RIAZUDDIN 48: JASMAT ALI S/O. BAREK ALI 49: HAZRAT ALI S/O. LT. SARBES ALI 50: SORAN ALI S/O. HASEN ALI 51: HABIBUR RAHMAN S/O. LT. IBRAHIM 52: SATTAR ALI S/O. ASKAR ALI 53: ASARUDDIN S/O. NUR HUSSAIN 54: ABDUL HAI S/O. LT. BAHAZ ALI 55: MUBARAK ALI S/O. MUNNAF ALI ALL ARE RESIDENTS. OF VILL. FUHURATOLI P.O. BAZANA PATHAR P.S. SIPAJHAR CIECLE- SIPAJHAR DIST. DARRANG ASSAM VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM and 3 ORS. Page No.# 6/8 REP. BY THE COMM. and SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM, REVENUE S DEPTT., DISPUR, GHY.-06. 2:THE DY. COMMISSIONER DARRANG MANGALDOI. 3:THE ADDL. DY. COMMISSIONER REVENUE DIST. DARRANG ASSAM. 4:THE CIRCLE OFFICER SIPAJHAR REVENUE CIRCLE DIST. DARRANG ASSAM Advocate for the Petitioner : MR.A SHARIF, MR S BORTHAKUR (1 to 55),MR. J ABBAS (1 to 55),MR.S ZAMAN,MR.F ISLAM,MS.P BARMAN Advocate for the Respondent : , GA, ASSAM BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SOUMITRA SAIKIA