In Brief
In this dispute over the sale of a deity's agricultural land in Orissa, the appellant (a 40-year tenant) purchased 2.019 acres at Rs. 10 lakhs per acre after the Commissioner of Endowments granted permission for sale under the Orissa Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951. The Division Bench of the High Court later nullified this registered sale deed and ordered re-auction at Rs. 25 lakhs per acre, arguing the deity (a minor) deserved the best price. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that once a lawful sale is completed with full statutory compliance, it cannot be set aside collaterally through writ jurisdiction merely because third parties offer higher prices. Proper challenges must be made within statutory timelines; the State's duty to protect minor deities' interests must operate within statutory bounds, not override valid transactions.
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