Bombay High Court

DEORAO NAGOBA CHOUDANTEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS

Disposal: DISPOSED OFF

Holding

Gairan land cannot be allotted to a private individual; it may be allocated only for public utility or public purpose as per the governing government decision and Supreme Court precedent.

Summary

The petitioner, an ex‑serviceman, filed a writ petition challenging the Collector's order refusing to allot Gairan land (Gut No.7, Rajwadi village) to him and a subsequent notice directing him to remove encroachments. He relied on Government resolutions dated 29‑11‑2002 and 12‑07‑2011, arguing that the policy favoured ex‑army personnel for land allocation. The State contended that, following the Supreme Court's decision in Jagpal Singh v. State of Punjab, Gairan land may be allotted only for public utility or public purpose and not to private individuals. The High Court examined the relevant government decision, which expressly restricts allocation of Gairan land to state or central government projects, and held that the Gram Panchayat's no‑objection certificate could not override this statutory prohibition. Consequently, the Court dismissed the petition, finding no merit in the petitioner's claim for land allotment.

Issues considered

Whether an ex‑serviceman can be allotted Gairan land under the Government resolutions of 2002 and 2011.
Whether the Collector's refusal to allot the land is consistent with the Supreme Court's ruling in Jagpal Singh v. State of Punjab.
Whether a Gram Panchayat's no‑objection certificate can confer a right to private individuals over Gairan land.

Subjects

ex‑serviceman
Gairan land
land allotment
public utility
public purpose
Maharashtra
Collector
encroachment
government resolution

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:40366-DB

(1) WP-6302-2015

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD

WRIT PETITION NO.6302 OF 2015

Deorao S/o. Nagoba Choudante
Age: 45 years, Occu: Ex-Serviceman/Agil.
R/o. Bhimnagar, Mudkhed,
Tal. Mudkhed, Dist. Nanded. ...Petitioner

VERSUS
1. The State of Maharashtra
through Revenue & Forest Department
Mantralaya Mumbai.

2. The Collector,
Collector Office, Nanded.

3. The Tahasildar,
Tahasil Office, Mudkhed.

4. Dy. Superintendent Land Record
Mudkhed Tal. Mudkhed. Dist. Nand. ...Respondents
…..
Dr. R. J. Godbole h/f Mr. V. P. Kadam, Advocate for Petitioner.
Mrs. S. S. Joshi, AGP for Respondent/State.

CORAM : KISHORE C. SANT &
AJIT B. KADETHANKAR, JJ.

RESERVED ON : 21st JULY 2026.
PRONOUNCED ON : 03rd SEPTEMBER 2026.

JUDGMENT :- [ PER: KISHORE C. SANT, J.]
(2) WP-6302-2015

1. Heard. Dr. Godbole h/f Mr. Kadam, the learned Advocate for the

petitioner and Mrs. Joshi, the learned AGP for Respondent Nos. 1 to

4/State.

2. This Court vide order dated 01/07/2015 granted Rule in the

present writ petition. By consent of the parties, the petition is taken up

for final disposal.

3. By way of present writ petition, the petitioner has approached this

Court challenging an order/notice dated 23/11/2011 passed by the

learned Collector Nanded, thereby refusing to allot the land to the

petitioner, being ex-serviceman, and notice dated 28/07/2014 issued by

Tahasildar, Mudkhed thereby directing him to remove encroachment

over the land.

4. It is the case of the petitioner that he happens to be an ex-service

man. He retired from the Army after serving for 20 years. In the year

2000, he made an application to the Government for allotment of land

from Gut No.7, situated at Village-Rajwadi, Tal. Mudkhed, Dist. Nanded.
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He stated in the application that he had encroached upon the Gairan

Land from 03/04/2003 to the extent of 2H and was cultivating crops

such as Toor, Soyabean and cotton. He gave reference of Government

Resolution No. LEN/1990/Pra.Kra.172/Kha-1 dated 28/11/1999.

Alongwith the said application, he submitted the report of the

Tahasildar, Mudkhed showing that the said land is available for

allotment. He also annexed a No Objection Certificate issued by the

Gram Panchayat alongwith resolution. He claimed entitlement of the

Government Resolution dated 12/07/2011. The application was made to

the Collector.

5. Learned Advocate for the petitioner vehemently submits that, by

Government decision dated 29/11/2002, the Government took a

decision to consider the applications of the ex-army person for (i) gun

licences (ii) fair price shops (iii) allotment agricultural land which was

available under the old Ceiling Act and (iv) allotment of residential plots

etc. He thus submits that it is the policy of the Government to make the

land available to ex-army person in recognition of their contribution
(4) WP-6302-2015

towards the nation. By Government decision dated 12/07/2011, the

Government also took a decision to allot the land to the army person. It

is stated that initially there was a policy to allot such land to landless

persons belonging to scheduled tribes or scheduled castes etc. In the

present case, there is no objection even from Gram Panchayat to allot

the land to the petitioner. It was therefore, incumbent on the part of the

Collector to allow the application to allot the land. He thus submits that

the impugned communication dated 23/11/2011 and 28/07/2014

deserves to be quashed and set aside and direction be issued to allot the

land to the petitioner.

6. Ms. Joshi, the learned AGP vehemently opposed the petition. He

submits that now the Hon’ble Apex Court, in the case of Jagpal Singh

and Ors. Vs. State of Punjab and Ors.1 clearly held that no

Gairan/Gurcharan land can be allotted except for public utility and

public purpose etc. She thus submits that in any case, the petitioner has

no right to get the allotment of the land. The Collector has rightly

rejected the application.

1 (2011) 11 SCC 396
(5) WP-6302-2015

7. So far as judgments relied upon by the petitioner is concerned, in

the case of Nandkishor S/o. Dhonduji Salwe Vs. The State of

Maharashtra and Ors. passed by this Court in WP/5099/2024, this Court

considered the question of regularization of encroachment. In that case,

it was prior to the judgment in the case of Jagpal Singh (supra). The

claim therein was based upon the Government Resolutions dated

28/11/1991 and 12/07/2011. It is in that case, the authorities were

directed to consider the claim of the petitioner therein. The said order

would not be applicable in the present case.

8. This Court has gone through the judgment in the case of Jagpal

Singh and Ors. (supra), it is clearly seen that no gairan/gurcharan land

can be allotted to a private individual. The only exception is for putting

such land for public utility and public purpose etc. Though there is no

objection certificate given by the gram panchayat, it is of no use. The

Gram Panchayat has no authority to grant such a no objection. Law does

not confer any right upon Gram Panchayat. Even the Government

Resolution dated 12/07/2011, clearly stipulates that the Gairan land can
(6) WP-6302-2015

be considered only for the public purposes or public utility of the State

Government or the Central Government. The relevant portion of the said

Government decision reads as under:

“शासन निर्णय
8. मा. सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाने दिलेल्या निर्णयाच्या अनुषगं ाने शासन असे आदेश
देत आहे की, वरील " परिच्छे द ७ (४) मध्ये नमूद केलेल्या प्रयोजनांव्यतिरिक्त
"गायरान / गुरचरण व गावाच्या सार्वजनिक वापरातील (common village land)
जमिनीवरील अन्य प्रयोजनांसाठी झालेली अतिक्रमणे तथा अनधिकृत बांधकामे फार
जुनी असली व बांधकामाबर फार खर्च केला असला तरी तात्काळ निष्कासित
करण्याची कार्यवाही संबंधित स्थानिक स्वराज्य संस्था यांनी (ग्रामपंचायत,
नगरपालिका, नगरपरिषद इत्यादी) विशेष कृती कार्यक्रम तयार करुन करावी. संबंधित
तहसिलदार, सार्वजनिक बांधकाम विभाग व पोलीस प्रशासनाने त्यांना सर्वतोपरी
सहाय्य करावे. सर्व संबंधित विभागांनी ही सामुहीक जबाबदारी म्हणून पार पाडावी.
तसेच अशा जमिनीवर भविष्यात कोणतीही अतिक्रमण होणार नाही, बाची दक्षता सर्व
संबंधितांनी घ्यावी.
9. (१) यापुढे गायरान जमीन अथवा सार्वजनिक वापरातील जमीन फक्त केंद्र व
राज्य शासनाच्या विविध विभागांमार्फ त राबविण्यात येणाऱ्या सार्वजनिक
सुविधा (Public Utility) व सार्वजनिक प्रयोजन (Public Purpose)
यासाठी अन्य जमीन उपलब्ध नसल्यास याबाबत विचार करावा.
(२) गायरान / गुरचरण अथवा गावकऱ्यांच्या सार्वजनिक वापरातील जमीन
कोणतीही व्यक्ती, खाजगी संस्था, संघटना यांना कोणत्याही प्रयोजनासाठी
मंजूर करण्यात येऊ नये.
(३) वरील अ.क्र.१ मध्ये नमूद प्रयोजनासाठी जमीन मंजूर करताना पुढील
अर्टी/शर्तीचे पालन करण्यात यावे.
(अ) ग्रामसभेचा व ग्रामपंचायतीचा जमीन मंजूरीसाठी सुस्पष्ट उराव असावा.
(ब) उक्त ठरावास मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी, जिल्हा परिषद यांची मान्यता
असावी.
(क) जमीन मंजूर करताना किमान आवश्यक जमिनीबाबत (Bonafide Area
Requirement) खात्री करण्यात यावी. त्याकरिता नियोजित आराखडे, नकाशे
प्रस्तावासोबत असावेत.
(४) सार्वजनिक प्रयोजन (Public Purpose) व सार्वजनिक सुविधा (Public
Utility) याबाबत संभ्रम निर्माण झाल्यास राज्य शासनाचे मार्गदर्शन घेण्यात
(7) WP-6302-2015

यावे.
(५) गायरान जमीन वा ग्रामपंचायतीकडे निहित केलेल्या अन्य शासकीय
जमिनी वितरणाचा प्रस्ताव सादर करतांना मा. सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाने दिलेला
निर्णयाच्या अनुषगं ाने प्रस्ताव अत्यंत काळजीपूर्व क तपासून, नियमानुसार
पुढील कार्यवाही करावी.”

9. This Court, considering all above, finds that the case of the

petitioner cannot be considered for allotment of land. In view of above,

this Court finds no substance in the submissions advanced by the learned

Advocate for the petitioner. The petition therefore deserves to be

dismissed. The same is accordingly dismissed and disposed off.

10. Rule stands discharged.

[AJIT B. KADETHANKAR, J.] [KISHORE C. SANT, J.]

D.A.ETHAPE

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