In Brief
The State of Madhya Pradesh appealed against a High Court judgment that had declared the respondents to be Bhumiswami (landowners) of grassland. The land had been recorded as 'Bir' (grassland) in revenue records at the time of Zamindari abolition on 2 October 1951. The Supreme Court held that grassland (Bir land) vests automatically in the State under Section 4(1) of the Zamindari Abolition Act and cannot be retained by an ex-Zamindar unless recorded as khud-kasht (personally cultivated land) in revenue papers before vesting. Since the disputed land was recorded as grassland, not khud-kasht, the respondents did not acquire tenancy or Bhumiswami rights. The Court set aside the High Court's judgment and restored the trial court's decision dismissing the suit.
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