In Brief
The appellants purchased land from successive transferees, with the original grantees being members of the Scheduled Caste community under the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978. The authorities initiated proceedings to annul the transfers and resume the land nearly 20 years after the Act came into force. The High Court upheld annulment based on the social welfare legislation. The Supreme Court held that where no statutory time limit is prescribed, authorities must act within a reasonable time. A 20-year delay is unreasonable and exceeds such implicit period. The Court emphasized that transfers become void only through a competent court's order, not automatically. The appeals were allowed and the High Court's judgment set aside."
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