Ropar, August 30: All sale and purchase transactions involving nearly 800 acres of disputed shamlat land in Bara Phool village have been stayed till the next date of hearing. The interim order was passed by Ropar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Chander Jyoti Yadav following a petition filed by the Bara Phool gram panchayat challenging the transfer of property to private individuals over the past two decades.
The administrative court passed the order to prevent further changes in title rights while the matter remains under adjudication. ADC Chander Jyoti Yadav confirmed that the sale and purchase of the land under dispute has been stayed until the next hearing. The property in question comprises village common land situated along the Ropar bypass, which was originally reserved for community usage.
According to the complaint submitted by the gram panchayat, the land was transferred to approximately 70 individuals, with several beneficiaries identified as non-residents of Bara Phool village. The panchayat has requested a comprehensive investigation by the Vigilance Bureau to examine the transfers, seeking the restoration of the property to the village and appropriate action regarding those involved.
Local representatives maintained that the land transfers occurred in violation of statutory provisions governing village common property. AAP MLA from Ropar Dinesh Chadha stated that the property was allocated contrary to the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, noting that ownership rights under Section 11 of the Act apply strictly to cultivators in possession prior to 1950. He asserted that the transfers in question occurred after 1997 and involved individuals without prior connection to the village, urging Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to direct a thorough inquiry.
Initial transfers were reportedly made in the names of nearly 40 individuals, with subsequent transactions raising the total number of titleholders to around 70. Administrative sources indicated that if the allegations are validated during inquiry proceedings, officials associated with facilitating the transactions could face departmental and administrative reviews. Resident bodies of Bara Phool village expressed appreciation for the interim order as judicial proceedings continue.
