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Supreme Court of India

J.P. RAVIDAS AND ORSversusNAVYUVAK HARIJAN UTHAPAN MULTI UNIT INDUSTRIAL CO-OP.

Citation
1997 INSC 519
Decided
7 July 1997
Disposal
Disposed off

Holding

The Court upheld the Registrar's determination that the 40 non‑Dalit allotments were invalid, ordered their ejection and re‑allocation to eligible Dalit members, and directed regularisation of the Municipal Corporation employees' allotments as per the reservation scheme.

Summary

The Supreme Court examined the allocation of 40 flats in a cooperative society built on government land, where the builder had allotted them to non‑Dalit members contrary to the reservation regulations favoring Dalits. The Registrar of Cooperative Societies investigated and found the allotments illegal, directing that the non‑Dalit occupants be ejected and the flats allotted to eligible Dalit members. The Court considered the claim of Municipal Corporation employees that they were entitled to flats under the reservation scheme and held that their allotments should be regularised, not cancelled. It affirmed the Registrar's findings and ordered the appointed Administrator to execute the ejection of the 40 non‑Dalit occupants and to allocate the flats to the Dalit members. The Court also directed the Registrar to supervise the Administrator’s actions and to ensure that the amounts collected from the dispossessed non‑Dalits be paid to them. The application for clarification filed by the Society was disposed of.

Issues considered

  • Whether the allotment of flats to non‑Dalit members by the builder violated the reservation regulations governing government‑land cooperative societies.
  • Whether the Registrar of Cooperative Societies has the authority to cancel such allotments and order ejection of occupants.
  • Whether the reservation rights of Municipal Corporation employees under the regulations must be upheld and regularised.
  • Whether the Administrator can be directed to effect the ejection and re‑allocation of the flats.

Subjects

cooperative societygovernment landreservationDalitnon‑Dalitallotmentejectionregistraradministratormunicipal corporation employees

Judgment

                       J.P. RAVIDAS AND ORS.                                  A
                                    v.
                NAVYUVAK HARIJAN UTHAPAN
                MULTI UNIT INDUSTRIAL CO-OP.
                   SOCIETY LTD. AND ORS.

                              JULY 7, 1997
                                                                              B

            (K. RAMASWAMY AND D.P. WADHWA, JJ.)

         Co-operative Society-Government land-Allotment of-Non-Dalit
members allotted flats by the builder-Violative of and contrary to regula- C
tions--Ejection ordered-All the 40 non-Dalit members to be ejected and in
their place 40 Dalits to be allotted flats-Employees of Municipal Corporation
allotted flats as per reservation in the Regulations-Registrar of Cooperative
Societies to look into the extent of such allotment and determination,
regularise such allotments.
                                                                              D
      J.P. Ravidas & Ors. v. Navyuvak Harijan Uthapan Multi Unit Industrial
:::ooperative Societies Ltd. & Ors., [1996) 9 SCC 800, referred to.

      CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: I.a. No. 4.

                                    IN                                        E
      Civil Appeal No. 7745 of 1996.

     From the Judgment and Order dated 8.11.93 of the Bombay High
Court in A. No. 790 of 1993.
                                                                              F
      R.B. Masodkar and Ms. Vrinda Dhar, for the Appellants.

     A.K. Srivastava, for the Respondents.

    Harish Salve, A.M. Khanwilkar, Ms. V.D. Khanna and Ms. A.P.
Mayee for the Applicants.                                       G
     The following Order of the Court was delivered :

     Pursuant to the directions issued by this Court on April 12, 1996 in
J.P. Ravidas and Ors. v. Navyuvak Hmijan Uthapan Multi Unit Industrial
Cooperative Societies Ltd. & Ors., [1996) 9 SCC 800, the Registrar of the H
                                   445
    446                   SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Cooperative Societies made an enquiry into the eligibility of persons to
  whom the allotments have been made by the builder in contravention of
  the original directions issued by the Government while allotti_!lg the
  Government land. It is clearly. established from the report that the builder
  has grossly violated the regulation of allotment of the flats to the non-Dalit
  members. The ultimate finding recorded by the Registrar is that 40 non-
B dalit members are in possession of the flats contrary to the regulations and
  accordingly he directed the Administrator to eject those persons and allot
  these flats to the Dalit members in accordance therewith. We find that the
  report is correct. According to Shri Harish Salve, learned counsel for the
  employees of the Municipal Corporation, they are entitled to allotment as
C per the reservation under the Regulation of allotment of the flats in the
  building constructed by the Society. The Registrar is not right in cancelling
  these allotments. Shri R.B. Masodkar, learned counsel for the State, in
  fairness, has stated that the view taken by the Registrar is not correct to
  the extent of the proportion of the reservation as per the Regulation. It
D should be determined by the Registrar and to that extent the allotment
  made to the Corporation's employees is directed to be regularised. This is
  out of general category. The 40 non-dalits allottees will go. As regards the
  Dalit members, the direction given is perfectly valid and warrants no
  interference.

E         An application for clarification has been filed by the Society stating
    that the management has not handed over the possession of the flats to
    the appellants; instead the Administrator has been appointed.

          In view of these facts and circumstances, we direct that the ad-
    ministrator should take necessary steps to have all these 40 persons named
F   in the report of the Registrar ejected. 40 Dalit eligible members should be
    admitted and flats allotted to them. Thereafter, he is directed to hand over
    the management to the Navyuvak Harijan Uthapan Multi Unit Industrial
    Coop. Society. The application is accordingly disposed of.

G         The Registrar of the Cooperative Society is directed to oversee the
    actions taken by the Administrator in ejecting the persons in possession;
    in alloting 40 flats to the Dalits members; in collecting the amount from
    them and handing over the amount to the non-dalits who are dispossessed
    from the building.

    G.N.                                                   Petition disposed of.


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