UNION OF INDIA Vs. HARISH CHAND ANAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an appeal by Certificate granted by the High Court by order dated December 14, 1978 with a question as under :-

(2.) In view of the Certificate granted by the High Court under Artical 133(1) of the Constitution, the question arises whether the State is entitled to resume land granted under Section 3 of Gorernment Grant Act, 1895, without prior determination of the amount for the structure. Through the respondent has been served, he has not appeared, either in person or through counsel. We have taken the assistance of counsel for the appellant and we have perused the judgment of the Delhi High Court reported in Shri Raj Singh v. Union of India, AIR 1973 Delhi 169, and the Division Bench judgment of the High Court of Allahabad reported in Bhagwati Devi v. President of India, 1974 All LJ 43, which was relied on and followed by the Division Bench in this case to hold that it is a condition precedent that the State should give notice to the respondent, determine the compensation and then resume the property granted to the respondent. The question, therefore, is whether it is a condition precedent for the Givernment to resume the land only after determination of the compensation and payment thereof or on the issuance of the notice as required under the Grant and on expiry thereof. To appreciate the contention, it is necessary to look to the provision of the Grant itself. Under Section 3 of the Act, the Governor General in Council exercised the power and granted licence to the respondent to erect the structure on the Government land. The conditions of the Grant are:

(3.) The clauses are not relevant for the purpose of this case. Hence they are omitted.