SC agrees to examine PIL for dedicated Revenue Judicial Service for land disputes
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, 30 April 2025, agreed to examine a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Centre and state governments to establish a separate Revenue Judicial Service cadre and prescribe minimum legal qualifications for officers adjudicating land and property disputes. The court issued notice returnable in four weeks.
What the PIL Demands
The petition, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, contends that adjudication of title, succession, inheritance, possession, and other property rights by revenue and consolidation officers who lack formal legal education and judicial training violates Articles 14, 21, and 50 of the Constitution. According to the petition, nearly 66 per cent of all civil litigation in India relates to land and property disputes, yet such matters are frequently decided at the first instance by executive officers without formal legal training — resulting in what the PIL describes as inconsistent, delayed, and legally flawed decisions.
The PIL has specifically sought directions to establish an independent judicial cadre for land disputes, prescribe uniform legal qualifications and judicial training for adjudicating officers, and ensure such adjudication is supervised by the respective High Courts.
What the Bench Said
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the plea. While acknowledging the substance of the petition, the Bench remarked,
