Sudhir Chandra Das vs State Of West Bengal And Others on 3 August, 2026

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    Calcutta High Court (Appellete Side)

    Sudhir Chandra Das vs State Of West Bengal And Others on 3 August, 2026

    Author: Supratim Bhattacharya

    Bench: Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, Supratim Bhattacharya

                                                                                          2026:CHC-AS:1169-DB
    
    
                                 In the High Court at Calcutta
                                Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction
                                         Appellate Side
    
         The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya
                        And
         The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Supratim Bhattacharya
    
    
                                       WP.LRT. No. 31 of 2026
    
                                        Sudhir Chandra Das
    
                                              -Versus-
    
                                State of West Bengal and Others
    
    
         For the Petitioner        :       Mr. Probal Mukherjee, Sr. Adv.,
                                           Mr. Pinaki Dhole,
                                           Mr. Rabindra Kr. Pathak,
                                           Ms. Srijita Noe, ... Advs.
    
         For the State             :       Mr. Nilanjan Bhattacharjee,
                                                              Sr. Standing Counsel,
                                           Ms. Jayita Dhar Chakraborty, Jr. Govt. Adv.,
                                           Mr. Suman Banerjee, ... Adv.
    
         For Respondent no. 4      :       Mr. Sounak Bhattacharya,

    Mr. Dilip Kumar Maiti,
    Mr. Anirban Saha Ray, … Advs.

         Heard on                  :       07.07.2026, 08.07.2026 & 15.07.2026
    
         Reserved on               :       15.07.2026
    
         Judgment on               :       03.08.2026
    
    
    
         Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.:-
    
    

    1. The writ petitioner has challenged an order dated March 13, 2025 passed by

    SPONSORED

    the West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal in OA No. 248 of

    2025, directing the Block Land & Land Reforms Officer (BL & LRO), Gazole,

    District – Malda to take steps for compliance of the order passed by the
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    2026:CHC-AS:1169-DB

    Appellate Authority on June 10, 2008 in Appeal Case No. 58 of 2000, after

    hearing all necessary parties, within a period of two months from the date of

    communication of the order in accordance with law.

    2. The backdrop of the case is that the Appellate Authority under the West

    Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 (in short, “the 1955 Act”) passed an order

    on June 10, 2008, directing the concerned BL & LRO to rectify the Records

    of Rights by incorporating the name of the present respondent no. 4. The

    said order not being implemented, OA No. 246 of 2025 (LRTT) was filed by

    the respondent no. 4 before the Tribunal, leading to the order impugned in

    the present writ petition.

    3. The writ petitioner claims to have purchased the disputed property by a

    registered deed of conveyance on July 18, 2025 from the heirs and

    successors of late Sudhir Ranjan Saha and late Satya Ranjan Saha. After

    such purchase, the petitioner approached the BL & LRO, Gazole for

    mutating his name, which was refused by the BL & LRO, who dismissed the

    mutation case bearing no. MN/2025/0909/19385 on August 5, 2025 on the

    ground that a court case was pending. According to the writ petitioner, he

    learnt from his vendors, thereafter, about a contempt application having

    been filed by respondent no. 4 for non-implementation of the order dated

    June 10, 2008. Thereafter, upon obtaining leave from this court, the present

    writ petition has been filed by the petitioner against the order of

    implementation passed therein.

    4. Learned senior counsel appearing for the writ petitioner argues that the

    application for implementation of the order dated June 10, 2008 was filed
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    only in the year 2025, after a gap of 17 years. It is, thus, contended that the

    application was palpably time-barred.

    5. In support of such contention, learned senior counsel relies on Section 10(2)

    of the West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal Act, 1997 (for short,

    “the 1997 Act”), which stipulates that every application under sub-section

    (1) of Section 10 shall be made within 60 days from the date on which the

    impugned order was passed or such action was taken, as the case may be,

    or within such further time as may be allowed by the Tribunal for cause

    shown to its satisfaction.

    6. Sub-section (1) of Section 10, it is argued, is the enabling provision

    contemplating a challenge by way of an appeal to any order or action passed

    or taken by an Authority or by the State Government under the specified

    Acts provided in the 1997 Act. It is argued that the expression “appeal” and

    “application” in sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 10 have been used

    interchangeably, providing remedy to an aggrieved person to seek redressal

    of grievance in either form as available under any of the specified statutes. It

    is contended that although sub-section (1) of Section 10 enables an

    aggrieved person to prefer an appeal, sub-section (2) uses the language

    “application”. The dichotomy in the text of the statute, it is contended, is

    explicit, which can be resolved by construing the said two expressions to be

    alternative in nature.

    7. Learned senior counsel next contends that Section 6 of the 1997 Act

    provides for the jurisdiction, power and authority to be exercised by the

    Tribunal. Under Clause (a) thereof, any order by an Authority under a
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    specified Act is amenable to challenge before the Tribunal, whereas under

    Clause (b), an application complaining of inaction or culpable negligence of

    an Authority under such an Act can be preferred before the Tribunal.

    8. Thus, it is contended that the provisions of Section 10 in respect of a

    challenge against action of the Authority should be construed also to

    include a challenge against inaction. Unless the word “inaction” is read into

    “action” of the Authority in the said provision, the very purpose of Section

    10 would be frustrated, since, in such a case, it has to be construed that

    there cannot be any challenge to an inaction, although the Tribunal is

    specifically empowered to take up such challenge under Section 6(b) of the

    1997 Act, thus negating the effect of Section 10. It is construed that, thus

    read, the limitations stipulated in Section 10(2) should also apply to an

    application against an inaction or culpable negligence of the Authority.

    9. In support of such contention, learned counsel cites Namit Sharma v. Union

    of India, reported at (2013) 1 SCC 745, where it was observed by the Hon’ble

    Supreme Court that courts would be reluctant to declare a law invalid or

    ultra vires on account of unconstitutionality, which is one of the last resorts

    taken by the courts. Instead, the courts would preferably put into service

    the principle of “reading down” or “reading into” the provision to make it

    effective, workable and ensure the attainment of the object of the Act.

    10. Following such principle, the term “inaction” should be read into Section 10

    of the 1997 Act to give effect to its objective.

    11. Learned senior counsel further argues that Section 29(2) of the Limitation

    Act, 1963 stipulates that where any special or local law prescribes for any
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    suit, appeal or application a period of limitation different from the period

    prescribed by the Schedule, the provisions of Section 3 shall apply as if such

    period means the period prescribed by the Schedule and for the purpose of

    determining any period of limitation prescribed for any suit, appeal or

    application by any special or local law, the provisions contained in Sections

    4 to 24 (inclusive) shall apply only insofar as, and to the extent to which,

    they are not expressly excluded by such special or local law.

    12. Even if it is to be construed that the limitation prescribed under Section

    10(2) of the 1997 Act is not applicable to an application challenging inaction

    of the Authority, Article 137 of the Limitation Act applies, which stipulates

    that any other application for which no period of limitation is provided

    elsewhere in the Schedule, the limitation period would be 3 years from when

    the right to apply accrues. Hence, in no event could the limitation period for

    the alleged inaction in the present case exceed 3 years after June 10, 2008,

    when the order was passed in the appeal under Section 54 of the 1955 Act.

    13. It is next contended that while passing the impugned order, the Tribunal did

    not make any observation regarding satisfaction of service on the heirs of

    the respondents in the said appeal by the Appellate Authority, being the DL

    & LRO, Malda. Thus, in the absence of any such specific finding that all

    parties were served notice, including the heirs of the deceased respondent in

    the said appellate proceeding, any order passed for implementation of the

    Appellate Authority’s order would not be sustainable in the eye of law.
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    14. Moreover, in view of the demise of the original respondent in the appeal at

    the relevant juncture, the order of the Appellate Authority dated June 10,

    2008 was also a nullity.

    15. Since the petitioner has stepped into the shoes of his vendors by purchase,

    it is argued that the petitioner is also entitled to prefer the present

    challenge.

    16. Per contra, learned counsel for respondent no. 4 argues that the Tribunal

    under the 1997 Act performs dual roles – both as a court of first instance

    and as an appellate forum.

    17. On a harmonious reading of sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 10 of the

    1997 Act, it will be clear that the said provision evidently applies to the

    appellate jurisdiction of the Tribunal and not to its original jurisdiction.

    Therefore, an application under Section 6(b) of the 1997 Act, complaining

    about inaction or culpable negligence of an Authority, would come under the

    said provision and will not be governed by Section 10.

    18. Rule 3 of the West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal Rules, 1997

    (for short “the 1997 Rules”), it is submitted, contemplates filing of an

    application under Section 6 or Section 10. Thus, the legislative intent was to

    segregate the applications under Sections 6 and 10 respectively into two

    different compartments. Hence, when the applicant approaches the Tribunal

    alleging inaction, it will be governed under Section 6 and not under Section

    10. Thus, the question of limitation stipulated in Section 10(2) would not

    apply to such an application at all.

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    19. It is next argued that the object of the 1997 Act is to vest the Tribunal with

    the jurisdiction of the High Court in respect of matters governed by the 1997

    Act. After the promulgation of the 1997 Act, it is argued, the jurisdiction

    over those matters which were previously dealt with by the High Court were

    transferred to the Tribunal. Learned counsel cites Popat & Kotecha Property

    & Anr. v. The State of West Bengal & Ors., reported at (2011) 3 Cal LT 431,

    for such proposition.

    20. In a hypothetical situation where an application was originally filed under

    Article 226 before the High Court and was later transferred to the Tribunal

    after coming into force of the 1997 Act, such application could not be

    objected to on the ground of limitation at the inception, being a

    constitutional remedy, and, thus, such challenge cannot be raised

    subsequently upon its transfer to the Tribunal. There cannot be two sets of

    limitations governing the same application.

    21. It is argued that when the words in a statute are clear, plain and

    unambiguous, and only one meaning can be inferred, the courts are bound

    to give effect to the said meaning irrespective of consequences.

    22. Learned counsel relies in this context on Commissioner of Customs (Import),

    Mumbai v. Dilip Kumar and Company and Others, reported at (2018) 9 SCC

    1. It is submitted that the Legislature, in its wisdom, has omitted to include

    inaction and culpable negligence of an Authority in Section 10 of the 1997

    Act. Thus, the court is bound to give effect to the natural and ordinary sense

    of the said provision, there being no ambiguity.

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    23. Learned counsel submits that legislative casus omissus cannot be supplied

    by judicial interpretative process. Reliance is placed on Padma Sundara Rao

    (dead) and Others v. State of T.N. and Others, reported at (2002) 3 SCC 533,

    in the above regard.

    24. Learned counsel for respondent no. 4 contends that inaction on the part of

    the BL & LRO squarely falls under Section 6 (b) of the 1997 Act and it is the

    Tribunal where an application challenging the same has to be filed. Reliance

    is placed in this regard on Atikur Hoque & Ors. v. The State of West Bengal &

    Ors., reported at (2008) 3 Cal LT 122.

    25. Regarding the petitioner’s argument that the order of the Appellate Authority

    was a nullity for non-substitution of the heirs of the respondent no. 3 in the

    said appeal, it is contended that the said ground is not tenable, since an

    application for substitution was filed before the Appellate Authority on the

    death of the respondent no. 3 therein, being the vendor of the present

    petitioner. The said application was allowed by the Appellate Authority on

    December 19, 2007. Thereafter, by an order dated January 22, 2008, the

    Appellate Authority directed notices to be served on the substituted heirs

    and, in the order dated June 10, 2008, recorded that both the appellant and

    the respondents were present. By the previous order dated May 22, 2008,

    the Appellate Authority also recorded the presence of the appellants and the

    respondents, who attended the hearing and filed haziras, upon which June

    10, 2008 was fixed for passing order. It appears from the order dated May

    22, 2008, that the learned Advocates for both the parties counter-signed the
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    order after perusing the same. The annexures to the affidavit-in-opposition

    filed by respondent no. 4 are relied on in support of above submissions.

    26. Thus, it is argued that the ‘nullity’ argument is not tenable in the eye of law.

    27. Lastly, learned counsel submits that the impugned order is nothing but an

    order to implement the Appellate Authority’s decision, which has not been

    set aside and has to be implemented.

    28. Upon hearing learned counsel for the parties, this Court proceeds to decide

    the instant writ petition as follows:

    (i) Limitation

    29. The first germane question which arises for consideration is whether the

    application for implementation of the order of the Appellate Authority dated

    June 10, 2008 was barred by the limitation, as stipulated in sub-section (2)

    of Section 10 of the 1997 Act.

    30. Sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 10 of the 1997 Act are quoted

    hereinbelow for the purpose of reference:

    “10. Application to Tribunal.–(1) Subject to the provisions of
    section 6 and other provisions of this Act, a person aggrieved by any order
    passed by an Authority or any action taken either by an Authority or by the
    State Government may prefer an appeal to the Tribunal for the redressal of
    his grievance.

    (2) Every application under sub-section (1) shall be made within
    sixty days from the date on which such order was passed or such action
    was taken, as the case may be, or within such further time as may be
    allowed by the Tribunal for cause shown to its satisfaction, and shall be
    made in such form, and shall be accompanied by such fee, as may be
    prescribed.

                    ...          ...   ...       ...      ...       ...      ..."
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    31. From the above, it is evident that the limitation under sub-section (2)

    applies only to appeals/applications preferred under sub-section (1) of

    Section 10.

    32. Sub-section (1), on the other hand, renders itself “subject to” the provisions

    of Section 6 and the other provisions of the 1997 Act.

    33. Thus, if Section 6 itself provides the remedy by way of a right to file an

    application, Section 10(1) would not be applicable at all.

    34. Section 6 of the 1997 Act, which acquires relevance in the context, is set

    forth below in its entirety:

    “6. Jurisdiction, power and authority of Tribunal.–Subject to the
    other provisions of this Act, the Tribunal shall, with effect from such date
    as may be appointed by the State Government by notification in this
    behalf, exercise jurisdiction, power and authority in relation to–

    (a) any order made by an Authority under a specified Act;

    (b) an application complaining inaction or culpable negligence of an
    Authority under a specified Act;

    (c) an appeal against an order of the Mines Tribunal appointed, under
    Section 36 of the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953;

    (d) applications relating to matters under any provision of a specified
    Act or matters relating to any constitutional validity of any Act
    under the provisions of a specified Act;

    (e) adjudication of matters, proceedings, cases and appeals which
    stand transferred from the High Court and other Authorities to the
    Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of this Act.”

    35. Different classes of causes of action have been subjected to the jurisdiction

    of the Tribunal under the above Section. It is relevant to note that while

    some of the clauses of Section 6, apart from stipulating jurisdiction,
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    themselves provide the remedy as well, others merely indicate the orders

    over which jurisdiction is exercised by the Tribunal.

    36. For example, under Clause (a) of Section 6, any order made by an Authority

    under the specified Act comes under the jurisdiction, power and authority of

    the Tribunal, without the said clause providing any remedy by way of an

    application or appeal. Thus, for a challenge to be preferred against any

    such order as enumerated in Clause (a) of Section 6, the challenger has to

    take resort to Section 10(1) of the 1997 Act, which is the enabling provision

    for preferring an appeal, or to any appellate provision, if stipulated in the

    concerned specified Act itself.

    37. On the other hand, Clause (b) of Section 6 itself provides the jurisdiction as

    well as the remedy, by stipulating that the Tribunal exercises jurisdiction in

    relation to “an application” complaining of “inaction or culpable negligence”

    of an Authority under the specified Acts.

    38. Similarly, Clause (c) of Section 6 of the 1997 Act provides for “an appeal”

    against an order of the Mines Tribunal appointed under Section 36 of the

    West Bengal Estates Acquisitions Act, 1953 and Clause (d) provides for

    applications, relating to matters under any provision of a specified Act or

    matters relating to the constitutional validity of any Act under the provisions

    of a specified Act.

    39. Clause (e) of Section 6, on the other hand, contemplates a separate

    paradigm altogether, being not the source provision of challenge but merely

    an enabling provision conferring jurisdiction on the Tribunal to adjudicate

    matters, proceedings, cases and appeals which had previously been filed
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    before the High Court and other Authorities and are transferred to the

    Tribunal pursuant to the 1997 Act. Hence, Clause (e) is fundamentally

    different in character from the other Clauses of Section 6 and need not

    bother us in the present context.

    40. Coming back to the other Clauses, specific remedies have been provided in

    Clauses (b), (c) and (d) of Section 6 of the 1997 Act, either by way of appeal

    or application, with regard to the subject-matters covered thereby, whereas

    no such remedy has been provided in Clause (a).

    41. The necessary corollary would be that for resorting to a challenge under

    Clauses (b), (c) and (d), the said Clauses themselves are self-sufficient,

    providing jurisdiction as well as remedy, whereas for a challenge to be

    preferred under Clause (a) of Section 6, although the jurisdiction of the

    Tribunal has been enumerated in the said Clause, the remedy has been

    provided under the enabling provision of Section 10(1), which provides for

    an appeal against such an order. The word “action” of Authorities, as used

    in Section 10, has to be taken in the generic sense, including any positive

    act of any such Authority under the specified Acts which is amenable to

    challenge under the specified Acts themselves.

    42. Viewing from such perspective, an original application complaining of

    inaction or culpable negligence on the part of an Authority under any

    specified Act is preferred directly under Section 6(b) and not under Section

    10(1) of the 1997 Act, thus not being governed by the limitations stipulated

    in Section 10(2), which refers only to challenges under Section 10(1).
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    43. From another perspective, there is a fundamental difference between

    Clauses (a) and (c) of Section 6 on the one hand and Clauses (b) and (d)

    thereof on the other. Whereas the first category contemplates a challenge in

    the nature of an appeal against an order passed or action taken by an

    original forum, the second envisages original applications before the

    Tribunal, either ventilating grievance regarding some inaction or culpable

    negligence or assailing the vires of an Act.

    44. The challenge under sub-section (b) of Section 6 against an inaction or a

    culpable negligence of an Authority in omitting to do its duty is an original

    application, initiated for the first time before the Tribunal, and not a

    challenge against any order or action of any Authority as such. As opposed

    to a positive order or action contemplated under Section 10(1) of the 1997

    Act, an inaction or negligence operates in the negative sense, Section 6(b)

    providing for a recourse to the Tribunal for passing a positive direction to

    neutralise/negate such inaction or negligence. Thus, being in the nature of

    an original application, akin to the previous class of writ petitions filed for

    inaction of Authorities before the High Court before the promulgation of the

    1997 Act, the same cannot be subjected to the rigours and limitation

    associated with an appeal.

    45. Having held that the limitation under Section 10(2) is not attracted to an

    application complaining of inaction or culpable negligence under Section

    6(b) of the 1997 Act, the next question which arises is whether the residuary

    provision of Article 137 of the Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1963 is

    attracted.

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    46. The said Article provides for a limitation of three years from the date when

    the right to apply accrues in respect of applications for which no period of

    limitation is prescribed elsewhere in the concerned Division (pertaining to

    applications) of the Schedule of the Limitation Act. However, it is well-

    settled that the said provision can only be attracted in case the accrual of

    the cause of action is static, bound to a particular point of time. As opposed

    thereto, in case of an inaction or negligence on the part of the Authority

    under any specified Act within the contemplation of the 1997 Act, the

    nature of the cause of action is fluid and continuing. If an order is passed

    by the Appellate Authority directing the first Authority to carry out some act,

    it is the bounden duty of the first Authority to do so, until and unless the

    Appellate order is stayed or set aside by some competent forum.

    47. Such a situation should be looked at from the prism of the Authority, and

    not from the aggrieved party. Unlike an order or positive action of an

    Authority, where the onus is on the aggrieved party to prefer a challenge, in

    case of an inaction/negligence on the part of the Authority by non-

    compliance of an appellate direction or otherwise, the duty is cast on the

    Authority to do such act unless the statutory mandate or the order of a

    superior forum directing such act to be done is set aside or annulled. In

    such a case, there is no necessity for the party aggrieved by such inaction to

    set the course of justice in motion but the duty of the Authority is

    temporally co-extensive with the direction on it or the statutory mandate

    requiring to do such act.

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    48. Hence, the concept of limitation is not strictly applicable in case of an

    inaction.

    49. Again, the Legislature, in its wisdom, specifically segregated challenges (by

    way of appeal/application) under Section 10(1), subjecting it to limitation

    under Section 10(2), and original applications under Clauses (b) and (d) of

    Section 6 of 1997 Act. Hence, under the scheme of the 1997 Act, an

    application under Section 6(b), complaining of inaction or culpable

    negligence of an Authority, is not amenable to any limitation period and is

    co-extensive with the inaction or culpable negligence complained of. Holding

    to the contrary would be thwarting the legislative intent behind the eco-

    system between Sections 6 and 10 of the 1997 Act.

    50. Thus, returning to the case at hand, the original application seeking

    inaction and/or non-implementation of the order dated June 10, 2008

    passed by the Appellate Authority cannot be held to be barred by limitation.

    51. As to the decisions relied on by the parties, in Atikur Hoque (supra)1, a

    learned Single Judge of this Court merely observed that the remedy against

    an alleged inaction of an Authority under the specified Acts is to file an

    application before the Tribunal. Such proposition, thus, corroborates the

    above finding that such an application comes within the ambit of Section 6,

    and not Section 10, of the 1997 Act. However, the Larger Bench judgment

    of this Court in Popat (supra)2 is not directly relevant in the present context.

    The Larger Bench merely recognized that the object of the 1997 Act is to vest

    1
    Atikur Hoque & Ors. v. The State of West Bengal & Ors., reported at (2008) 3 Cal LT
    122
    2
    Popat & Kotecha Property & Anr. v. The State of West Bengal & Ors.
    , reported at
    (2011) 3 Cal LT 431
    16

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    the Tribunal with the jurisdiction over those matters which were previously

    dealt with by the High Courts. The said observation was made in a different

    context, while examining whether administrative members, in order to man

    the Tribunal, must have experience to deal with the specified Acts.

    52. In Commissioner of Customs (Import) (supra)3, it was held that when the

    words in a statute are clear, plain and unambiguous and only one meaning

    can be inferred, the Courts are bound to give effect to the said meaning

    irrespective of consequences, which lends support to the observations

    rendered by us above, to the effect that the scheme contemplated under

    Sections 6 and 10 of the 1997 Act has to be read in its statutory backdrop.

    Thus, the principle laid down in Namit Sharma (supra)4 is not applicable,

    since no “reading down” or reading into” the relevant provisions is required

    at all, as we do not find either Section 6 or Section 10 of the 1997 Act to be

    ambiguous, ineffective, unworkable or unconstitutional in the first place.

    53. In Padma Sundara Rao (dead) (supra)5, the Hon’ble Supreme Court held that

    the Court cannot read anything into a statutory provision which is plain and

    unambiguous, to which legal proposition there cannot be any quarrel.

    (ii) Whether the impugned order of the Tribunal is otherwise

    sustainable

    54. Certain aspects of the matter have to be noted in this context.

    3

    Commissioner of Customs (Import), Mumbai v. Dilip Kumar and Company and
    Others
    , reported at (2018) 9 SCC 1
    4
    Namit Sharma v. Union of India
    , reported at (2013) 1 SCC 745
    5
    Padma Sundara Rao (dead) and Others v. State of T.N. and Others, reported at
    (2002) 3 SCC 533
    17

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    55. First, the writ petitioner claims through his vendors, the heirs of the original

    owners, who were parties to the appeal in which the parent order dated

    June 10, 2008 was passed.

    56. As explicit from the annexures to the affidavit-in-opposition filed by

    respondent no. 4, substitution was duly effected on the demise of one of the

    respondents therein. Thus, it cannot be said that the said order was a

    nullity.

    57. Moreover, since the petitioner claims through his vendors, whose

    predecessors-in-interest were parties to the appeal, the petitioner steps into

    the shoes of his vendors and is, thus, bound by the said order of the

    Appellate Authority under Section 54 of the 1955 Act. It is nobody’s case

    that any challenge has been preferred either to the parent appellate order of

    the DL & LRO dated June 10, 2008 or that any substantive and

    independent rights have been created in favour of third parties in the

    interregnum. Hence, the order of the Appellate Authority which is now

    sought to be implemented has attained finality and till it is implemented, the

    cause of action challenging such inaction on the part of the concerned BL &

    LRO in not implementing the order remains alive.

    58. The argument of the petitioner that substantive rights might have accrued

    in the meantime cannot be accepted, since admittedly the petitioner has

    purchased from the heirs of the respondents in the appeal in which the

    parent order dated June 10, 2008 was passed. Tracing the chain of title, the

    writ petitioner claims through, and has ultimately stepped into the shoes of,

    the respondents in the appeal Thus, he cannot claim an independent or
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    better title but is bound by order of the Appellate Authority. Thus, there is

    no applecart of any third party to be upset if the said order is implemented

    now, irrespective of the time-lapse in between.

    59. The arguments of the appellant on the merits of the order dated June 10,

    2008 cannot be accepted at this belated stage, since the said order has

    attained finality in the absence of any challenge thereto.

    60. Lastly, we must also take note of the fact that the learned Tribunal, in the

    impugned order, has not directed blind implementation of the order dated

    June 10, 2008 passed in Appeal Case No. 58 of 2000, but has also left open

    an opportunity of hearing to all necessary parties. In our opinion, such

    component of the order is squarely in consonance with the principles of

    natural justice and leaves it open for any just cause to be ventilated at the

    time of implementation, despite the ambit of such “cause” being very limited.

    61. Hence, in view of the aforesaid findings, we are of the opinion that the

    impugned order of the learned Tribunal does not suffer from any illegality or

    jurisdictional error.

    CONCLUSION

    62. Accordingly, WP.LRT. No. 31 of 2026 is dismissed on contest, thereby

    affirming the order dated March 13, 2025 passed by the Third Bench of the

    West Bengal Land Reforms and Tenancy Tribunal in OA No. 246 of 2025

    (LRTT).

    63. There will be no order as to costs.

    19

    2026:CHC-AS:1169-DB

    64. Urgent certified copies, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon

    compliance of all formalities.

    (Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)

    I agree.

    (Supratim Bhattacharya, J.)



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