)१(
L. A. BILL No. C OF 2025.
A BILL
further to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966.
WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Land
Revenue Code, 1966, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted
in the Senventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows :—
1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code
(Amendment and Validation) Act, 2025.
Mah.
XLI of
1966.
Short
title.
HB-2460–1.
भााग पााच-अ-४२–१.
RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123
महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र
असाधाारण भााग पाच–अ
वर्षष ११, अंक १९ ]
बुुधवाार, डि’सेंबर १०, २०२५/अग्रहाायण १९, शकेे १९४७
[पृष्ठेे ३, किं�ंमत : रुपये ३६.००
असाधाारण क्रमांं�क ४२
प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन
महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानसभेत व महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानपरि�षषदेेत सादर केलेेली वि�धेेयके (इंंग्रजी अनुवाद).
MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT
The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the
10th December, 2025 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules.
2
महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा
असाधारण भाग पाच–अ, डिसेंबर १०, २०२५/अग्रहायण १९, शके १
2. In Chapter XIII of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966
(hereinafter referred to as “the said Code”), after section 259, the following
section shall be inserted and shall be always deemed to have been inserted from
the commencement of the said Code, namely :—
“259A. The appeal, revision or review filed before the State Government
under this Chapter shall be heard and decided by the Minister in charge of
the Revenue Department; or the State Minister in charge of the Revenue
Department or the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or
Secretary-cum-Officer on Special Duty (Appeal and Revision), Revenue
Department, as the case may be, if so duly authorized by the Minister in
charge.”.
3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Maharashtra Land Revenue
Code, 1966 or in any rules made thereunder or in any judgment, decree or order
of any court, tribunal, or any other authority, acting or purporting to act under
the provisions of the said Code, any action taken or things done, decision taken
or orders passed by the Minister in charge or State Minister in charge of the
Revenue Department or the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary
or Secretary-cum-Officer on Special Duty (Appeal and Revision), Revenue
Department, in appeals, revisions or review proceedings under the said Code,
conducted before the date of commencement of the Maharashtra Land Revenue
(Amendment and Validation) Act, 2025 (hereinafter in this section referred to as
“the Amendment and Validation Act”); and any action taken, things done, decision
taken or orders passed by the revenue officers or any other officer or authority,
shall be deemed to be and shall be deemed always to have been, duly and validly
taken or done in accordance with the law as if the provisions of the said Code,
as amended by the Amendment and Validation Act had been continuously in
force at all material times and accordingly, no suit, prosecution or other legal
proceedings shall lie in any court or before any tribunal or other authority on
the ground that, the provisions of the said Code prior to such commencement
did not empower the State Minister in charge of the Revenue Department or the
Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or Secretary-cum-Officer on
Special Duty (Appeal and Revision), Revenue Department, to hear and decide
the appeal, revision or review, filed before the State Government.
Insertion
of section
259A in
Mah. XLI
of 1966.
Mah.
XLI of
1966.
Power
to hear
appeal.
Validation
and
saving.
Mah.
XLI of
1966.
Mah.
...... of
2025.
महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा
असाधारण भाग पाच–अ, डिसेंबर १०, २०२५/अग्रहायण १९, शके १
3
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Chapter XIII of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 (Mah. XLI of
1996) contains provisions of filling appeals, revisions and reviews against any
decision and order passed by the revenue officer or survey officer under the
said Code. Section 248 of the said Code provides for filling of an appeal to the
State Government against any decision or order passed by the Commissioner or
Settlement Commissioner or Director of Land Records. Section 257 of the said
Code provides for revisionary powers of the State Government to call for and
examine the record of any inquiry or the proceedings of any revenue officer or
survey officer. Section 258 of the said Code provides for the power of the State
Government to review any order passed by it.
2. Considering the large number of appeals, revisions and review
applications filed before the State Government, the Minister for Revenue
have been issuing orders, from time to time, under the Instructions Regarding
the Business of the Government issued under rule 15 of the Maharashtra
Government Rules of Business made under article 166 of the Constitution of
India, for assigning certain appeals, revisions or review applications to the
State Minister in charge or Secretary-cum-Officer on Special Duty (Appeal and
Revision) to decide the same for administrative convenience and speedy disposal
thereof. Accordingly the State Minister in charge or the Secretary hears and
decides such matters.
3. The Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench, in its order dated the
9th May 2025, passed in the Writ Petition Nos. 8977 of 2024 and 8978 of 2024
held that the Rules of Business cannot override a statutory provision, hence
delegation of power to entertain second revision being contrary to sub-section
(4) of section 257 of the Code, is not valid.
4. In order to give relief to the rightful owners or occupants of land and
also for enabling the utilization of lands entangled in litigation for agricultural
as well as non-agricultural purpose, timely disposal of large number of appeals,
revisions and review applications filled before the Government is necessary.
The Government, therefore, considers it necessary to provide in the said Code
itself that the appeals, revisions or review applications filed before the State
Government shall be heard and decided by the Minister in charge of the Revenue
Department or the State Minister in charge or Secretary-cum-Officer on Special
Duty (Appeal and Revision), Revenue Department, as the case may be, if so duly
authorized by the Minister in charge.
5. For the above purposes, it is proposed to insert a new section 259A in the
said Code, with retrospective effect. It is also proposed to provide for validation
and saving of any action taken or things done, decision taken or orders passed by
the State Minister in charge or Secretary-cum-Officer on Special Duty (Appeal
and Revision), Revenue Department.
6. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
Nagpur,
CHANDRASHEKHAR BAWANKULE,
Dated the 9th December, 2025.
Minister for Revenue.
Vidhan Bhavan,
JITENDRA BHOLE,
Nagpur.
Secretary-1,
Dated the 10th December, 2025.
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE,
PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT PRESS AND BOOK DEPOT, CIVIL LINES, NAGPUR-440 001 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING,
STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI-400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.