In Brief
A man purchased land from a previous owner 7 years after a 1979 law prohibited transfers of certain granted lands to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The previous owner's son applied to restore the land 25 years after the law came into force. Lower courts allowed the application, but the Supreme Court reversed the decision, holding that although the law sets no express time limit, applications for land restoration must be made within a reasonable period. Waiting 25 years is unreasonable, making the claim liable to dismissal regardless of the absence of a statutory limitation period.
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