Call for Revenue Judicial Service to Solve Land Dispute Adjudication Issues

A PIL in the Supreme Court urges the establishment of a revenue judicial service with qualified legal professionals to decide land disputes. Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay's plea highlights that a lack of legal education among adjudicators leads to inconsistent decisions, infringing fundamental rights and increasing litigation challenges.

A new public interest litigation has been submitted to the Supreme Court, emphasizing the urgent need for a revenue judicial service to handle land disputes. The PIL, presented by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, drives attention to the alarming fact that a significant portion of civil cases, approximately 66%, are tied to land disputes adjudicated by individuals without formal legal training.

The current adjudicators, mainly revenue officers, often deliver inconsistent and erroneous judgments, resulting in prolonged uncertainty over property rights. This situation not only inflates litigation costs but also infringes on citizens' fundamental rights outlined in Articles 14 and 21, according to the petition filed with the top court, which is likely to be considered on April 2.

The plea, authored by advocate Ashwani Dubey, previously addressed by the Allahabad High Court without effective implementation, seeks government intervention to mandate legal qualifications and training for those settling land disputes. Such measures aim to prevent further injury to citizens by ensuring proper legal oversight and effective access to justice.

(With inputs from agencies.)