In Brief
Jaipal Singh, a Punjab landowner holding 221.72 acres, had surplus land determination proceedings pending under the 1953 Act when the 1972 Act came into force. He sold land to Mohan Singh in 1974, who later sold it to the appellants in 1989. The appellants claimed the transferred land should benefit from the 1972 Act's provisions requiring the owner's own land be included in the surplus pool first. The Court held that pending surplus determination proceedings must be completed under the 1953 Act per Section 33(2)(ii) of the 1972 Act. The definition of 'surplus area' in the 1953 Act encompasses selection of permissible area, making it an integral part of the determination process. Therefore, the 1972 Act's provisions did not apply, and the transferred land remained properly included in the surplus pool. Appeal dismissed."
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