Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:113710 Court No. - 50 Case :- WRIT - B No. - 2618 of 2025 Petitioner :- Veer Singh Respondent :- Nawal Singh And 16 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Mohit Kumar Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.,Hari Narayan Singh Hon'ble Ajay Bhanot,J. By the impugned order dated 27.05.2025 the Deputy Director of Consolidation has rejected the revision against the order passed in appeal by the Settlement Officer Consolidation on 18.10.2024. The appellate court in turn had set aside the order of Consolidation Officer dated 17.05.1985 on the footing that the same was ex-parte. The disputes before the consolidation officer relate to title over the parcels of land in issue. Rival claims of the parties have not been adjudicated on merits till date. Admittedly the order of the consolidation officer finding in favour of the petitioner was ex-parte to the private respondents. The controversy at hand deals with substantive rights of parties over the disputed parcels of land and the same are liable to be decided on merits. The Settlement Officer Consolidation rightly condoned the delay on part of the respondents by filing the appeal. This Court takes note of the fact that in a large number of cases the most marginalized sections of the society who live at intersection of various disabilities like acute poverty, widespread illiteracy, and social inequality are engaged in litigations under the UP Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953 and for the same reasons are unable to approach the authorities in time. The consolidation authorities should take a liberal view in matters pertaining to delay in the facts and circumstances of each case and in light of socioeconomic realities of the State as discussed above. Generally speaking the endeavour of the authorities should be to adjudicate the controversy on merits, and not shut the doors of justice on hypertechnical grounds. In the instant case the authorities below by condoning the delay have adopted a view which is in consonance with law, equity and principles of equal justice. There is no infirmity in the impugned orders. Needless to add observations made by the authorities below in the impugned orders shall not influence the merits of the case. Shri Hari Narayan Singh, learned counsel for the respondent no. 14 is present. The writ petition is dismissed. Order Date :- 15.7.2025 Dhananjai Digitally signed by :- DHANANJAI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad