Yogi Government Takes Major Decision, Three-Member Special Bench To Hear Cases Related To Govt Land

Lucknow: The Yogi government is continuously undertaking significant reforms to make the revenue administration in the state more transparent, accountable and effective. On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Board of Revenue has taken a major decision to ensure the speedy and high-quality disposal of cases related to land of public importance. Henceforth, all cases relating to reserved category land, government land, Gram Sabha land, Nazul land, evacuee property and enemy property (if any) will be heard by a three-member Special Bench. This arrangement has been implemented with immediate effect.

Chairperson of the Board of Revenue Archana Agrawal stated, "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has consistently emphasized freeing government and public land from encroachment, ensuring time-bound resolution of land disputes, and making the revenue justice system modern and technology-driven. Accordingly, exercising the powers conferred under Section 9 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, the new arrangement has been implemented. Its objective is to ensure transparency, judicial quality and uniformity in the disposal of these sensitive matters. The arrangement has come into effect immediately, under which all pending and new cases in these categories before the Board of Revenue courts in Lucknow and Prayagraj will now be placed before specially constituted three-member benches."

He informed, under the new arrangement, cases relating to reserved category land, government land, Gram Sabha land, Nazul land, evacuee property and enemy property will no longer be heard by a single bench of the Board or by the Circuit Court. These matters will now be considered collectively by a specially constituted three-member bench. This will incorporate diverse judicial perspectives in important matters and make the decision-making process stronger, more impartial and more just.

The Chairperson of the Board stated, "The Board of Revenue has constituted separate three-member Special Benches for its courts in Lucknow and Prayagraj. These Special Benches will regularly hear such cases every Wednesday. This will enable the time-bound disposal of sensitive matters related to government and public land, while also establishing uniformity in the decision-making process across the state. The concerned officials have also been directed to identify all pending and new cases in these categories and have them listed before the designated Special Bench."

He added, this will ensure the effective implementation of the new arrangement and reduce the possibility of unnecessary pendency of cases. Systematic listing and regular hearings will make the judicial process smoother and more result-oriented. The adoption of a collective decision-making system will significantly enhance the credibility and transparency of the judicial process. At the same time, uniform decisions in similar types of cases will reduce unnecessary disputes and legal ambiguity in the future.

The Yogi government has already undertaken several significant initiatives towards comprehensive reforms in the revenue administration. Measures such as digital land records, online mutation and other revenue services, land measurement through modern technologies, a transparent judicial process, and the protection of government land have made the revenue administration more accountable.

The constitution of the three-member Special Bench is now another important link in this series of reforms. The system of collective expert decision-making will not only make the justice delivery system more effective and reliable but will also provide fresh momentum to the modernization of the state's revenue justice system.