Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972

The appellants, daughters of Banarsi Das, claimed that surplus land declared under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953 was not utilised before their father's death, invoking the inheritance exemption under Section 10‑A(b). The State argued that the land had been allotted to a tenant, Mangat Ram, in 1964, with…

Sampuran Singh's land was declared surplus under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953 in 1964, but he continued to possess and enjoy it. After his three sons became majors, he sought to reopen the declaration and recompute the surplus land under sections 7 and 9 of the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 197…

The appellants, a family owning 828 standard acres, had surplus land declared under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953 and were granted exemption under Rule 8 to continue using it. When the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 came into force, the appellants argued that the exemption should survive and…

Surinder Nath Dewan was declared a holder of 15 standard acres of surplus land by a 1960 order under the East Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act. He later obtained a determination that only 5 acres were surplus and sought restoration of land that had been leased out under the East Punjab Area Utilisation of Lands Act.…

The Collector, under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, declared land held by Prem Nath Maira surplus in 1960 and allotted it to landless persons, who have possessed it since 1976. The Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 was amended in 1976 inserting Section 12(3), which vests such surplus lands in t…

Mala Singh, a long‑time tenant, occupied land owned by Kishan Dutt, a big land‑owner under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953. The land was declared surplus and later reserved as the tenant's permissible area, after which Kishan Dutt died and his heirs claimed to be small land‑owners. Mala Singh filed an app…

The suit land in Sirsa, Haryana was subject to ceiling proceedings under the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972, and the prescribed authority issued an order on 17 October 1978. Two separate civil suits were filed challenging the legality of that order and seeking its declaration as null and void. The High Cour…

The case concerned surplus‑area determinations made under the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972, where land owners sought ejectment of tenants and the tenants challenged the orders after a long lapse of time. The Supreme Court examined whether the phrase "at any time" in Section 18(6) of the Act imposes a reas…

Jodha Ram, a small landowner, sought eviction of tenants Loti Ram and Rup Ram under Section 9(1)(i) of the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, claiming his title remained despite the land being declared surplus. The Collector and higher authorities rejected his claim, holding that surplus land is to be utilized …

Marn Ram, a large landowner, had 61 acres and 9 units of land partitioned among his sons. Under the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, 9 acres and 3¾ units were declared surplus in 1961 and the order became final in 1962. The Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972, Section 12(3) deemed such surplus land ves…

The Supreme Court examined challenges to the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 and its subsequent amendments, focusing on the artificial definition of "family" and the double standard for fixing land‑holding ceilings under sections 4(1), 4(3), 7, 8, 9 and 11, alleged to breach Article 14. It held that the Act,…

The appellants, Devinder Singh and others, filed a civil suit seeking a declaration that they were owners in possession of a parcel of land and that the authorities' orders declaring the land surplus and allotting it were null and void. The respondents contended that the suit was barred by Section 26 of the Haryana Cei…

Ujjagar Singh (deceased) held 218 kanals of land that were declared surplus under the Pepsu Tenancy Agricultural Lands Act, 1955, but the State never took possession of the land. When the Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972 came into force, fresh proceedings were initiated to declare the same land surplus and to take possess…