The Allahabad High Court in the case Gurpreet Singh vs. Union Of India And 6 Others observed and has directed the district magistrates posted at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh districts to direct for the erection of pillars in their respective areas to demarcate the boundaries between the two states on January 23, 2024.
The Division bench comprising of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Manjive Shukla in the case observed and has disposed of the petition moved by Gurpreet Singh, who being the resident of Bijnor district.
The petitioner in the plea claimed that the authorities of the State of Uttarakhand were unlawfully intervening in his possession and cultivation of agricultural land due to uncertainties and disputes regarding the state boundaries between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The court observed that it being the case of him that the land owned by him falls exclusively within the State boundary of the State of UP and he does not own any land in the State of Uttarakhand.
The petitioner in the plea seeks the Court’s intervention to instruct the Survey of India’s geographical department to form an expert committee, in collaboration with revenue officers from Bijnor and Haridwar districts, to demarcate the boundaries between the two states.
The court noted that the Standing Counsel appearing for the State of UP and the Deputy Advocate General, for the State of Uttarakhand agreed that the issue may be resolved by the revenue authorities of the two States. The Court disposed of the writ plea by issuing the following directions:
The District Magistrate, Haridwar and the District Magistrate, Bijnor may designate the appropriate Sub Divisional Magistrate and the revenue team comprising of officers working under them who may visit the village Himmatpur Bela, Tehsil and District Bijnor and determine and demarcate the points through which the undisputed boundary between the two States exists.
Such exercise may be carried out in the presence of the petitioner on January 23 at noon and the petitioner will ensure his presence on the date and time fixed by this court.
Upon the completion of the exercise of demarcation of the State boundaries, appropriate demarcation pillars may be affixed if required, to demarcate any portion of land in dispute falling in the State of Uttarakhand.
The court while considering the facts and circumstances of the case directed the petitioner to vacate land if, in the process of demarcation, it is found that he is in illegal possession of any portion of land in the State of UP.