SC Seeks Centre’s Reply on Plea for Revenue Judicial Service in Land Cases

NEW DELHI, Apr 30: The Supreme Court of India on Thursday issued notice to the Centre and other authorities on a PIL seeking the creation of a dedicated revenue judicial service and mandatory legal qualifications for officials deciding land disputes.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi sought responses from the Union government, the Law Commission of India and others on the plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, who alleged that untrained officials were adjudicating complex land matters.

The petition highlighted that nearly 66 per cent of civil cases relate to land disputes and argued that the absence of legally trained adjudicators leads to inconsistent and erroneous decisions. It said the issue had earlier been addressed by the Allahabad High Court, but its directions remain unimplemented.

Drafted by advocate Ashwani Dubey, the plea contended that the existing system causes widespread harm by entrusting revenue officers lacking legal education with decisions on property rights, resulting in arbitrariness and prolonged litigation.

It further argued that such practices create uncertainty over ownership, restrict land transactions, and escalate costs, thereby violating fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

The petition sought directions to the Centre and states to introduce minimum legal qualifications and structured judicial training for revenue officials, in consultation with high courts, and to ensure that adjudication of property-related matters is supervised and monitored by the judiciary. (Agencies)