In Brief
The State of Kerala appealed against a High Court judgment that disposed of a land dispute without deciding contentious issues on merits, relying instead on the State's counsel's concession regarding demarcation timelines. The dispute concerned ownership of approximately 4.08 hectares of forest land in Palakkad, contested between the State Forest Department and private individuals. The Supreme Court held that matters involving complex land rights and competing claims under Forest and Revenue laws require full merit-based adjudication. It set aside the High Court judgment and remanded the case for fresh decision on merits, finding that remand caused no prejudice since both parties would be heard in appeal."
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