SC notice to Centre on plea to establish revenue judicial service for land disputes
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from the Centre and others on a PIL seeking directions to establish a revenue judicial service, and prescribe minimum legal qualification and training module for public servants adjudicating land disputes.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Union of India, Law Commission and others on a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay who claimed that non-qualified legal professionals were deciding land disputes.
The plea submitted that nearly 66 per cent of civil cases were related to land disputes, and the key lacuna was that they were being adjudicated by officers lacking formal legal education and training, resulting in erroneous and inconsistent decisions.
The petition drafted by advocate Ashwani Dubey stated that the issue was dealt with by the Allahabad High Court, but its direction has not been implemented in letter and spirit to date.
The present system causes widespread and continuing injury to citizens by subjecting the adjudication of land disputes to revenue officers without legal background, resulting in arbitrary, inconsistent and erroneous decisions.
