In Brief
The Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 defines 'shamilat deh' (village common land) narrowly. This case involved a dispute over whether certain land occupied by the appellant qualified as 'shamilat deh' and thus vested in the village body. The Court held that such land must be used for the common purpose of the village and must be described with the word 'shamilat' attached to all four categories—'taraf', 'patti', 'panna', and 'thola'. Without this prefix, land cannot become 'shamilat deh'. The Court allowed the appeal, declaring the appellant's land did not qualify and ordered his name entered in the ownership column.
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