WP(C)/4739/2020 of AJOY KUMAR DAS AND 15 ORS. Vs THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 46 ORS. on 11 June 2026

GAHC010159832020

2026:GAU-AS:8435

THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/4739/2020 AJOY KUMAR DAS AND 15 ORS. S/O LT. SUDAM CHANDRA DAS, VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI, PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA, P.S. KATIGORAH, DIST- CACHAR, ASSAM, PIN- 788805 2: ABHIRON DAS S/O LT. SUDAM CHANDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 3: KIRENDRA DAS S/O LT. GOPESH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 4: SAJAL DAS S/O LT. ASWINI KUMAR DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 5: PARESH DAS S/O LT. GOPI RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 6: SUDHENDU SHEKHAR DAS S/O LT. SURENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 7: SUBODH MALAKAR S/O SUDHIR CHANDRA MALAKAR

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 8: SANTOSH MALAKA S/O LT. MANORANJAN MALAKAR

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 9: AJOY DAS S/O LT. HRISHIKESH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 10: TAPASH KUMAR DAS S/O SRI HARA KUMAR DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH

DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 11: KALIRAN DAS S/O LT. AKAL RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 12: BIPUL CHANDRA DAS S/O LT. BALAI RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 13: NISHI KANTA DAS S/O SRI UMA CHARAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 14: KSHIR MOHAN DAS S/O LT. AMBIKA CHARAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 15: SANJAY KUMAR DAS S/O SRI SUNIL DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805

16: SUSANJIT DAS S/O LT. ABHINASH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART- V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-78880 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 46 ORS. REP. BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY GOVT. OF ASSAM, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, DISPUR, GHY-6 2:THE DY. COMMISSIONER CACHAR ASSAM 3:THE SETTLEMENT OFFICER CACHAR AND HAILAKANDI DISTRICT SILCHAR CACHAR 4:THE ASSISTANT SETTLEMENT OFFICER KATIGORAH REVENUE CIRCLE KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM 5:THE DISTRICT FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT OFFICER CACHAR SILCHAR ASSAM 6:RAJU DAS S/O LT. UPENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 7:BIPUL DAS S/O LT. BABUL DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI

PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 8:HIREN DAS S/O LT. RAJENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 9:ASHIM DAS S/O ADHIR DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 10:ANIMESH DAS S/O ADHIR DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 11:APU DAS S/O ADHIR DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 12:SRIKANTA DAS S/O LT. PANCHANAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR

ASSAM PIN-788805 13:MISON DAS S/O JATINDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 14:SAMAR DAS S/O MAKHAN LAL DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 15:SAMARJIT DAS S/O LT. LOKESH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 16:KISHOR DAS S/O SATISH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 17:BIDYUT DAS S/O BIDYA RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805

18:NANTU DAS S/O LT. MAKHAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 19:RANJAN DAS S/O LT. NRIPENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 20:HEMANGO DAS S/O LT. NIKHIL DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 21:RABINDRA DAS S/O LT. KAMAL RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 22:DEBOTOSH DAS S/O ABINASH DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 23:ANUPAM DAS S/O SRI LOKESH RANJAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI

PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 24:RANJAN DAS S/O SAMIRAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 25:DRUBAJYOTI DAS S/O KAMALA KANTA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 26:MANAPATH DAS S/O LT. RADHIMOHAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 27:HARIPAD DAS S/O LT. LOKESH MOHAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 28:BANU RAM DAS S/O LT. JOGENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR

ASSAM PIN-788805 29:SUBODH DAS S/O LT. SUDHENYA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 30:MINTU DAS S/O LT. ALANYA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 31:MANORANJAN DAS S/O LT. RADHA MOHAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 32:BINTU RANJAN DAS S/O LT. KORUNAMOYEE DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 33:SRIKANTA DAS S/O KOTUMONI DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805

34:ABINASH DAS S/O SUDAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 35:HITESH DAS S/O HIRENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 36:SAMIRAN DAS S/O LT. SUDAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 37:FONIBHUSHAN DAS S/O LT. PROMOD DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 38:KAMAL KANTO DAS S/O LT. GAJENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 39:MITON DAS S/O LT. UMA CHARAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI

PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 40:GAJENDRA DAS S/O LT. GONGA RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 41:PINAK DAS S/O LT. KALIPADA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 42:ABINAY DAS S/O LT. RADHA MOHAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 43:BIDHAN DAS S/O LT. BHAGWAN DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 44:SANJOY DAS S/O LT. SUSHENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR

ASSAM PIN-788805 45:KIRENDRA DAS S/O LT. JIBAN RAM DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 46:SUBHASH DAS S/O SUNIL DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-788805 47:BABLU DAS S/O KIRENDRA DAS

VILL. CHANDINAGAR PART-V AND VI PORGONA- LAVIOURPUTA P.S. KATIGORAH DIST- CACHAR ASSAM PIN-78880 For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. I. Alam, Advocate For the Respondent(s) : Mr. J. Handique, SC, Revenue Mr. K. Gogoi, Addl. Sr. GA BEFORE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE DEVASHIS BARUAH

O R D E R

12.06.2026 Heard Mr. I. Alam, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Petitioners. Mr. J. Handique, the learned counsel appears on behalf of the Respondent No.1 and Mr. K. Gogoi, the learned Additional Senior Government Advocate appears on behalf of the Respondent Nos.2 to 5. None appears for the other Respondents on call.

2. The Petitioners herein have challenged the order dated 15.09.2020 whereby the names of the Private Respondents have also been included in the Register to be maintained by the Deputy Commissioner in respect to the fishery locally known as Kinnarkhal Nala of Mouza Chandinagar, Part VI, Porgona-Laviourputa.

3. This Court has duly taken note of Rule 14 of the Assam Fishery Rules, 1953 which specifically in the Cachar district empowers the Authority to permit persons settled with adjoining lands in relation to 2nd Class fisheries, their names to be entered in a separate Register in the Deputy Commissioner's Office and a lease for such fisheries to be sanctioned in a special Form at the time of resettlement.

4. The Petitioners claim that they have been settled on the ground that they have adjoining lands to the fishery in question. However, the Private Respondents also claim that they have adjoining lands and the predecessors of the Petitioners had also permitted them to have fishing rights, and it is under such circumstances that the impugned order was passed on 15.09.2020 by the Settlement Officer.

5. The question as to whether the Petitioners solely have the fishing rights on the basis that they have settled lands adjoining the fishery in question or the Private Respondents also have settled lands adjoining the fishery in question are questions of facts which can be only adjudicated before a forum wherein such disputed questions of facts can be adjudicated upon.

6. This Court further takes note of Rule 11 of the Assam Fishery Rules, 1953 which categorically mentions that against any settlement, an Appeal lies to the learned Assam Board of Revenue. Apart from that as the settlement made was by the Settlement Officer, in the opinion of this Court, such order would also come within the terms of Section 147(a) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886. Both the provisions, if read together, would show that an Appeal lies before the learned Assam Board of Revenue.

7. It is the opinion of this Court that as disputed questions arise between the Petitioners' claim to have the sole settlement over the fisheries in question whereas the Private Respondents as well as the Respondent Authorities claim that the Private Respondents also have rights to be granted for settlement, the questions being questions of pure facts of adjudication, this Court cannot decide such questions.

8. Accordingly, this Court therefore is not inclined to entertain the instant writ petition for which the present writ petition stands dismissed.

9. Liberty is granted to the Petitioners to avail remedy before the learned Assam Board of Revenue, if otherwise permissible under law, and the period during which the instant writ petition has been pending, i.e. w.e.f. 06.11.2020 till date be excluded while computing the period of limitation.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant