The State government today defended the yet to be enacted Jharkhand Land Mutation Bill 2020 claiming that the Bill has enough provisions against any wrongdoing by the government officials.
The government chose to defend the Bill after the Opposition BJP and its legislator in the ruling coalition Bandhu Tirkey openly opposed the Bill, which was passed in the last Cabinet meeting, saying that the Bill is an attempt to provide immunity to revenue officials from legal consequences and making the State an easy hunting ground for land mafia.
Revenue, Registration, Land Reforms Secretary, K K Soan said the government is not going to protect any revenue or government officials for his wrong doings.
Soan said the Bill has provisions, under which if any appellate authority of State or Centre orders a probe against revenue officials or government officials then criminal, civil and departmental action can be initiated against such officials.
The Secretary said in section 22 of the Bill there is provision protecting the right of revenue officials, but in the sub section II of the Bill, there is mention about criminal, civil and departmental action against officials for their wrongdoing.
Soan said the Bill has no provisions protecting revenue officials for his wrongdoing, but as per the Bill their duties have been defined. The revenue secretary said that land mutation is State was being done as per 1973 law, where there were no provisions for online mutation of land. According to the secretary, to bring improvement in land mutation and settlement the Jharkhand Land Mutation Bill 2020 was introduced in the Cabinet.
Soan said that in earlier mutation law several provisions were not defined and the Bill was brought to expand the mutation law in State.
Earlier, BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi has said that section 22 of the Bill clearly states that in case of any fraud in land mutation, revenue and land officials will be provided immunity from charges under civil as well as criminal laws. Marandi had even said that this law will provide protection to corrupt officials and the land mafia and be unfair to the common public.
The Jharkhand Cabinet of on September 8, okayed the Jharkhand Land Mutation Bill 2020, which is aimed at making jamabandi claims online and setting up of competent authorities for settlement of claims at district level.
Jamabandi contains entries regarding ownership, cultivation and up to date data of various rights on the land. All changes of rights coming to the notice of the revenue agency are reflected in the jamabandi. Not only Marandi, Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey who recently joined Congress too has slammed the Bill saying that he will write letters to Chief Minister and other MLAs highlighting the loopholes of the Bill.