Supreme Court Seeks Legal Overhaul for Land Dispute Adjudication

The Supreme Court has asked for responses on a plea to establish a revenue judicial service. The petition argues that non-qualified officers handle land disputes, leading to erroneous decisions. It calls for minimum legal qualifications and judicial training for public servants adjudicating such cases to ensure fair adjudication.

The Supreme Court on Thursday reached out to the Centre and other concerned parties regarding a PIL seeking the formation of a revenue judicial service. This move aims to mandate minimum legal qualifications and training for public servants involved in adjudicating land disputes.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued a notice to the Union of India, the Law Commission, and others following a plea by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay. The plea highlighted a significant issue: non-qualified legal professionals currently adjudicate many land disputes, leading to erroneous and inconsistent rulings.

The petition, crafted by advocate Ashwani Dubey, points out that the prevalence of officers without formal legal education causes severe implications for property rights, increasing litigation and costs, and infringing on citizens' fundamental rights. The plea calls for immediate legislative intervention to rectify this situation through structured legal training for those handling these disputes.