Meira Kumar is entitled to compensation for land acquired by the government, says Patna High Court
Meira Kumar at a press conference. File | Photo credit: Ranjeet Kumar
The Patna High Court has delivered a verdict in favor of former Lok Sabha Speaker and daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister Jagjivan Ram, Meira Kumar, ordering that she is entitled to compensation for land acquired by the Bihar government.
The single Bench order said he was entitled to compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Justice Khatim Reza, in her October 6 order, quashed the order of the district collector who tried to seize Patna land by unilaterally canceling the 60-year-old family land records.
The dispute related to land measuring approximately 18 Kathas and 10 Dhurs (approximately 0.56 acres) situated in Mainpura Locality, Patna, acquired by the State in Land Acquisition Case No. 50 of 1975-76 for the construction of a drainage canal under the Bengal Embankment Act.
Although the land was taken over by the authorities and the public project was carried out decades ago, compensation was never paid either to the original owner of the land, Indrani Devi, or subsequently to her successor and daughter, Mrs. Kumar.
Collector’s order
During the pendency of the proceedings, the Collector of Patna passed an order dated 12.4.2023 canceling the Jamabandi status in favor of the petitioner’s family and declaring the land as Ghairmazarua Aam (public wasteland). The legality of this order was also challenged in the High Court.
“This Court is of the opinion that the order dated 12.04.2023 passed in Jamabandi Cancellation Appeal Case No. 1 of 2012-13 by the District Collector, Patna is not a competent state in the eyes of law. Therefore the same is held to be illegal without jurisdiction and is therefore set aside. Jamabandi is entitled to reinstatement that the petitioner created in favor of the mother is the compensation Act of 2013,” he ordered court.
The court decided that § 4 letter (h) of the Bihar Land Reforms Act (BLR), 1950 applies strictly to land transactions made after 1st January, 1946. As the original settlement was validly granted by the former landlord in 1941, the Collector had nil power to cancel the title.
The court also criticized the Collector for ignoring his own report of a three-member state-appointed committee (submitted in 2016), which expressly confirmed the 1941 settlement date and warned that Section 4(h) was legally unenforceable.
“Unable to overwrite sales documents”
The bench observed that the more than a century old Survey Khatiyan records are only historical snapshots and do not transcribe more than 60 years of registered sale deeds, regular mutations and tax revenue accepted by the state.
”Long-term Jamabandi created in favor of a person cannot be canceled in summary proceedings. If the State wants to challenge a pre-1946 claim, the proper remedy is to approach the appropriate civil court rather than to effect summary cancellation through revenue proceedings,” the Bench observed.
On the issue of compensation, the High Court relied on the decision of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in the case of Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal & another, (2020) and held that where acquisition has taken place but compensation has remained unpaid, the owner of the land is entitled to compensation under the provisions of the 2013 Act.
Published – 21 Oct 2026 23:11 IST