Tarlok Singh Chauhan, J. - (1.) THIS letters patent appeal is directed against the judgment passed by the learned writ Court, whereby the petition filed by the appellants challenging the orders passed by Director (Consolidation of Holdings) came to be dismissed. Facts, in brief, may be noticed.
(2.) THE appellants are residents of village Phalwara, Tehsil Dehra, District Kangra, HP which came under Consolidation in the year 1988. Consolidation scheme was prepared in consultation and advice of land owners and the committee constituted under Section 22 of the H.P. Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1971(for short the 'Act'). The private respondent kept mum and raised no dispute till 22.7.2006, when for the first time, he made a complaint to the Panchayat regarding obstruction of his path. At one stage, this dispute was resolved. However, later it appears that the path was again blocked by the appellants, constraining the private respondent to again approach to the Gram Panchayat, who in turn referred the matter to Sub Divisional Officer (C), Dehra for further action. Thereafter, nothing fruitful appears to have been done, constraining the private respondent to file a revision petition under Section 54 of the Act.
(3.) THE Director, Consolidation called for the report from the Consolidation Officer and immediately on receipt thereof and basing his decision on such report, modified the consolidation scheme. This constrained the appellants to approach this Court by way of writ petition, wherein apart from other grounds, appellants had specifically raised the question of violation of principles of natural justice and the proceedings before the Director being time barred.;