HB-2460 Part V-A Extra 42 Date 10-12-2025, Publication of bill to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 as L.A. Bill No. C of 2025 by Section Officer M.L.S. Extra ORd. No. 42, No.19.

RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ वर्षष ११, अंक १९ ] बुुधावारा, डि�संबुरा १०, २०२५/अग्रहाायण १९, शाके १९४७ [पृष्ठेे ३, डिकंमत : रुपये ३६.०० असाधााराण क्रमांक ४२ प्रााडिधाकृत प्राकाशान महाारााष्ट्र डिवधाानसभाेत व महाारााष्ट्र डिवधाानपरिरार्षदेेत सादेरा केलेेलेी डिवधाेयके (इंंग्रजी अनुवादे). 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. L. A. BILL No. C OF 2025. A BILL further to amend the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966. Mah. WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Land XLI of Revenue Code, 1966, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted 1966. in the Senventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows :— 1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code Short (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2025. title. भााग पााच-अ-४२–१. )१( HB-2460–1.2 महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ, डि�संबुरा १०, २०२५/अग्रहाायण १९, शाके १९४७ Insertion 2. In Chapter XIII of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 Mah. of section (hereinafter referred to as “the said Code”), after section 259, the following XLI of 259A in 1966. section shall be inserted and shall be always deemed to have been inserted from Mah. XLI of 1966. the commencement of the said Code, namely :— Power “259A. The appeal, revision or review filed before the State Government to hear under this Chapter shall be heard and decided by the Minister in charge of appeal. 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.”. Validation 3. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Maharashtra Land Revenue Mah. and Code, 1966 or in any rules made thereunder or in any judgment, decree or order XLI of saving. 1966. 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 Mah. “the Amendment and Validation Act”); and any action taken, things done, decision ...... of 2025. 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.महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग पाच–अ, डि�संबुरा १०, २०२५/अग्रहाायण १९, शाके १९४७ 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.