Following the directions of Supreme Court, Rajasthan High Court has terminated the contempt proceedings initiated against Jaisalmer collector Pratap Singh in the case of not allocating land to the landless farmer even after the order of the High Court.
Earlier, Justice Dinesh Mehta had convicted Jaisalmer collector Pratap Singh of contempt. Following that the state government had moved the Supreme Court, which refused to interfere in the High Court's judgement.
However, taking the statement of the state government on record, the Supreme Court asked the High Court to terminate the contempt proceedings against the collector.
What is the case?
According to Shiv Mangal Sharma, Additional Advocate General of the government in the Supreme Court, on May 26, 1982, under the Rajasthan Tenants Act, the government had allotted land in Dhani, Jaisalmer to the landless farmers. The petitioner Tolaram was also present. Later, the government cancelled this allocation after objections from the Ministry of Defence. The petitioner and other allottees approached the High Court against this. On August 11, 2006, the High Court, while giving an interim order directed the allottees to allot land elsewhere.
The government allotted land in Mokla in 2008. However, the petitioner and others refused to take possession of the land, claiming that the land was not of equal value.
Due to this dispute, litigation continued for many years. Following this, Tolaram filed a fresh petition in 2014 seeking land in Dhani of Phadero. The single bench of the High Court on December 2, 2022 directed the allotment of land in khasra number 206. But the government did not comply with this order. After this, the petitioner filed a contempt petition against the collector. After this petition, the government appealed in its division bench. The division bench dismissed the government's plea on the late appeal. Here, the single bench convicted the collector of contempt for not complying with the order. On this, the government allotted 53.11 bigha land to the petitioner and others located in Dhani, Jaisalmer.
Can be used only for agricultural purposes
In the Supreme Court, the government said that the petitioner is demanding the land, which is close to Suryagarh Palace and National Highway. That stretch of land is suitable for the development of tourism.
However, under the state policy, rhe land allotted to landless farmers can only be used for agriculture purpose.
However, this land could have been better utilised for tourism purposes.
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