Patna High Court

Lalpari DeviversusThe State of Bihar

Decided: 24 March 2026
Disposal: DISPOSED
Bench: RAJIV ROY

Holding

The Court held that the writ petition is dismissed and the petitioners must file individual petitions before the Collector within eight weeks.

Summary

The petitioners, a group of residents of Kothiya village, filed a writ petition seeking a direction that the State of Bihar and its officials grant them physical possession (Dakhal Dahani) of surplus land allotted to them after the land‑ceiling proceedings in Muzaffarpur district. They claim that they were allotted the land ('Purcha') in 1992 but have not received possession to date. The State counsel argued that the petitioners, after a lapse of 34 years, should approach the authorities individually and provide supporting documents. The Court agreed, finding that the collective writ petition was premature and that the petitioners must file separate petitions before the Collector with the requisite evidence. Accordingly, the Court granted them permission to file individual petitions within eight weeks and disposed of the writ petition.

Issues considered

Whether a collective writ petition can be entertained for physical possession of surplus land after a lapse of 34 years
Whether the petitioners must file individual petitions with supporting documents before the Collector

Subjects

land ceiling
surplus land
dakhal dahani
writ petition
possession
delay
individual petition

Judgment

         IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                    Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.1864 of 2026
     ======================================================
1.    Lalpari Devi Wife of Ram Swarup Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
      P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
2.   Sanjha Devi, Wife of Late Dukha Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
     Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
3.   Krishna Sahani, Son of Sakal Dev Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
     P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
4.   Sakaldev Sahani, Son of Late Jugal Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
     P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
5.   Satya Narayan Sahani, Son of Late Pancha Sahani, Resident of Village
     -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
6.   Mina Devi, Wife of Ram Chandra Paswan, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
     P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
7.   Raj Kumar Sahani, Son of Ram Sevak Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
     P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
8.   Raj Kumar Sahani, Son of Ram Chandra Sahani @ Chana Sahani, of Akalu
     Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur
     (Bihar).
9.   Shambhu Sahani, Son of Triweni Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
     Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
10. Rekha Devi, Wife of Raj Kumar Sah, Son of Prameshwar Sah, Resident of
    Village -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
11. Pinki Kumari, D/o Indra Dev Sahani, Wife of Nathuni Sahani, Resident of
    Village -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
12. Hira Sah, Son of Vishun Sah, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari,
    District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
13. Jitendra Thakur, Son of Manshi Thakur, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
    Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
14. Budhu Sahani, Son of Lakhan Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
    Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
15. Sone Lal Sahani, Son of Lakhan Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
    Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
16. Surendra Sahani, Son of Ram Dayal Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
    P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
17. Sheet Dulari Devi, Wife of Satyanarayan Sahani, Resident of Village
    -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
18. Bhola Sahani, Son of Rameshwar Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
    Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
19. Shyam/Sundar Sah, Son of Sah Dev Sah, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
    Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
20. Rita Devi, Wife of Ravindra Nath Thakur, Resident of Village -Kothiya,
    P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
Patna High Court CWJC No.1864 of 2026(3) dt.24-03-2026
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  21. Kailash Ram, Son of Muneshar Ram, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  22. Sunil Ram, Son of Mahendra Ram, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  23. Kismat Devi, Wife of Vilash Ram, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  24. Devendra Paswan, Son of Ujarat Paswan, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  25. Birbal Sahani, Son of Ram Sevak Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  26. Ram Pukar Sahani, Son of Jagati Sahani, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  27. Shharmila Devi, Wife of Shiv Shankar Sah, S/o Ganaur Sah, Resident of
      Village -Kothiya, P.S.-Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  28. Aandi Devi, Wife of Ram Chandra Ram, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
  29. Umesh Ram, Son of Ram Vilas Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari @ Radha
      Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  30. Upendra Ram, Son of Ram Gulab Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari @
      Radha Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  31. Ram Saresth Ram, Son of Parmeshwar Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari @
      Radha Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  32. Parwati Devi, Wife of Sukul Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari @ Radha
      Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  33. Bishesar Ram, Son of Jagdish Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari @ Radha
      Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  34. Promon Ram @ Preman Ram, Son of Babu Lal Ram, Resident of Village-
      Mushari @ Radha Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  35. Vishwanath Paswan, Son of Ram Avtar Ram, Resident of Village-Mushari
      @ Radha Nagar, P.S.- Mushari, District-Muzaffarpur.
  36. Sunita Devi, Wife of Shatrudhan Sah, Resident of Village -Kothiya, P.S.-
      Mushari, District- Muzaffarpur (Bihar).

                                                                ... ... Petitioner/s
                                              Versus
  1.    The State of Bihar.
  2.    The Principal Secretary, Revenue and Land Reforms Department,
        Government of Bihar, Patna.
  3.    The Commissioner, Tirhut Division, Muzaffarpur.
  4.    The District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur.
  5.    The Circle Officer, Musahari.

                                                 ... ... Respondent/s
       ======================================================
         Patna High Court CWJC No.1864 of 2026(3) dt.24-03-2026
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                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s    :          Mr.Jay Prakash Singh, Advocate
                 For the Respondent/s    :          Mr.Government Advocate (10)
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY
                                       ORAL ORDER

3   24-03-2026                 Heard the parties.

                               2. The present petition has been preferred for the

                   following relief/s:

                                             (i) for issuance of direction to respondents to

                                             give     the     Dakhal      Dahani     (physical

                                             possession) to the petitioners their land,

                                             which is the surplus land given by State

                                             Government after land ceiling proceeding in

                                             Muzaffarpur District;

                                             (ii) for any other relief/reliefs for which the

                                             petitioners are found entitled in the facts and

                                             circumstances of the case.

                                3. The claim of the petitioners is that they got

                   ‘Purcha’ in the year 1992 but till date the actual possession has

                   eluded them.

                                  4. Learned State counsel submits that individual

                   petitioners have clubbed themselves and there is no clarity why

                   they are now approaching the respondents after lapse of 34

                   years.
         Patna High Court CWJC No.1864 of 2026(3) dt.24-03-2026
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                                  5. This Court finds force in the submission of the

                   learned State counsel , the petitioners have to actually move

                   before the respondents for the redressal of their respective

                   grievances alongwith all the supporting documents.

                                 6. Learned counsel for the petitioners submit that

                   they will be doing do and shall be filing individual petition

                   before the respondent, Collector, Muzaffarpur.

                                   7. Granting permission to file appropriate petition

                   before the concerned respondent (the Collector, Muzaffarpur) in

                   next eight weeks who shall be entertaining the petition, if filed

                   individually, the writ petition is disposed of.



                                                 (Rajiv Roy, J)
Ravi/-

U

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