Sheikh AHMAD ALI And Others vs The SETTLEMENT COMMISSIONER And Another
This matter concerns a dispute over the transfer of property under settlement laws, specifically involving the Kashmir Hotel and an adjoining shop. The petitioners challenge the transfer of the roof of their shop to the respondents, who had previously acquired the hotel and incorporated the roof into it through construction. The Settlement Commissioner and the High Court had previously held as a finding of fact that the roof became part of the respondents' hotel property through conversion. The petitioners contend that the roof of their shop could not legally be transferred to the respondents and allege discriminatory treatment, noting that a similar claim regarding an adjoining shop's roof was rejected by the authorities. The Supreme Court granted leave to appeal to determine whether the transfer of the roof of the petitioners' shop to the respondents, as part of their converted hotel, was in accordance with the applicable settlement laws and whether the alleged discrimination vitiates the transfer.
- Whether the transfer of a shop's roof to an adjoining hotel owner, as part of a converted hotel, is legally permissible under settlement laws?
- Can a finding of fact regarding property conversion be challenged in a petition for leave to appeal?
- Does the inconsistent treatment of similar property claims by the Settlement Commissioner constitute unlawful discrimination?
ORDER
1. KARAM ELAHEE CHAUHAN, J.--It is argued that no doubt the transfer of the Kashmir Hotel was made to the respondents earlier on 6-8-1970 followed by a P . T . O .Dated 9-11-1960 and P . T . D . , dated 6-3-1962 but later on the petitioners were also on 14-3-1967 transferred through public auction the shop (to speak generally) which was in the auction list/or other relevant documents described as shop "vertically". This gave rise to the present litigation which ended with the order of the Settlement Commissioner, dated 16-6-1970 and of the High Court, dated 26-9-1975 (in W.P.
2. 1155-R/1970) wherein it was held that by obtaining transfer of a hotel, the respondents had also in that way already obtained transfer of the roof of the shop of the petitioners, which roof used to be in possession of the respondents where they had long ago raised certain construction which was a part of that hotel, and which roof in that form they had converted into and made a part of their hotel. That the aforesaid roof was so converted by the respondents has been held as a finding of fact by the Courts below but the learned counsel challenges that finding and also states that the roof of his shop could in no circumstance or under any law have been given to the respondents who could claim transfer of their own shops or portions and not of the roof of the petitioner's shop.
3. It is further argued that with regard to a similar roof of another adjoining shop which the respondents claimed, their claim was not accepted but discrimination without any distinction was made in the case of the petitioners' roof. Leave is granted to consider whether such a transfer of roof of the shop of the petitioners to the respondents as a part of their converted hotel was in accordance with law applicable to cases of this type. Security Rs.2,000.