Land Dispute Settlement through Mediation: Supreme Court Judgment Analysis

The case involves a long-standing land dispute dating back to 1976. The dispute was between the legal heirs of Surjeet Singh and Sucha Singh regarding ownership of properties located in Village Charheri, Tehsil Kharar, District Mohali. The litigation reached the Supreme Court after years of unresolved disputes.

Background of the Case

The legal conflict primarily revolved around the share of land that originally belonged to Smt. Parsin Kaur, the grandmother of both parties. Over the years, multiple legal proceedings were initiated, culminating in the Supreme Court’s intervention.

Supreme Court’s Directive for Mediation

On July 7, 2015, the Supreme Court ordered the parties to explore an amicable settlement through the Mediation Centre at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Mediation Centre was directed to submit a report on the progress made.

Final Settlement Terms

• The key litigants were identified as Kulwinder Singh and Bhupinder Singh (legal heirs of Surjeet Singh) and Sucha Singh (legal heir of Bachan Singh).
• Sucha Singh agreed to transfer specific properties to Bhupinder Singh in exchange for a monetary settlement of Rs. 4,20,000.
• The properties involved included a house in the name of Parsin Kaur, a property in Khasra No. 277, another in Khasra No. 258, and an old structure adjacent to Sevak Singh’s house.
• The disputed land measuring 3 Bigha 8 Biswas was agreed to be divided equally between the two parties.
• Both parties agreed to approach the revenue authorities for formal partition.
• The Supreme Court disposed of the appeal in terms of the mediated settlement.

Judges’ Observations

The Bench, comprising Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, commended the parties for reaching an amicable resolution through mediation, emphasizing the importance of alternate dispute resolution mechanisms in reducing legal burden and fostering peaceful settlements.

Final Decision

The case was officially disposed of on March 15, 2016, with the Supreme Court endorsing the settlement reached by the parties.

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Download Judgment: Surjeet Singh (D) by vs Sucha Singh & Others Supreme Court of India Judgment Dated 15-03-2016-1741853981473.pdf