In Brief
The appellant, a tenant of deity-owned land in Orissa for 40 years, applied to purchase it at a price fixed by the Commissioner of Endowments under the Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951. The Commissioner, after inquiry, fixed Rs. 10 lakhs per acre and executed registered sale deeds in the appellant's favour. Later, interveners offered a higher price and challenged the deed before the High Court. The Division Bench set aside the sale deed and ordered public auction. The Supreme Court held the Division Bench committed manifest error: a lawfully executed and registered deed, following statutory procedure and expiry of appeal periods, cannot be nullified merely because interveners later make higher offers without evidence of fraud. The appeals were allowed and the Division Bench judgment set aside.
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