1 2026:CGHC:21547 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 2295 of 2026 1 - Pawan Singh S/o Late Deep Narayan Singh Aged About 44 Years R/o Mohalla Dabripani, Village- Bandhiyachuwan, Tahsil- Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - The State Of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Department Of Revenue, New Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, New Raipur, Distt.- Raipur (C.G.) 2 - The Secretary Department Of Forest, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, New Raipur, Distt.- Raipur (C.G.) 3 - The Collector Cum Chairperson District Level Committee, Constituted Under The Schedule Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 District- Sarguja, Ambikapur (C.G.) 4 - The Divisional Forest Officer Forest Division Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) 5 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Forest) Sub Division - Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) 6 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Rev.) Cum Chairperson Sub Division Level Committee Constituted Under The Schedule Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, Sub Division - Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) 7 - The Forest Range Officer Forest Range - Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) 8 - The Secretary Gram Panchayat Bandhiyachuwan, Mohalla Dabripani, Tahsil- Ambikapur, District- Sarguja (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Shri AN Bhakta and Shri Vivek Bhakta, Advocates. For State/Res : Shri Amit Nayak, PL. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad Order on Board 08/05/2026 1. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this Writ Petition has been filed AVINASH SHARMA Digitally signed by AVINASH SHARMA Date: 2026.05.08 14:32:04 +0530 2 against the inaction on the part of respondents authorities in not deciding the applications dated 31.03.2011, 29.05.2011, 16.04.2018 filed by the mother of the petitioner for grant of Vanbhoomi Adhikar Certificate for reserved forest compartment No.2582, area 1.00 acre which is pending for consideration till date. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that though the application for grant of Vanbhoomi Adhikar was filed by mother of the petitioner, however, during the pendency of such application, mother of the petitioner has passed away and the petitioner filed an application for said purpose. He submits that it seems that the application filed by the petitioner was not in a proper format, as such, it pending consideration before the authorities. He submits that this Writ Petition may be disposed of with a liberty to the petitioner to file application for grant of Vanbhoomi Adhikar and it turn, a direction to the authorities concerned to decide the said application in a time bound manner. However, he submits that there is a threat of dispossessing the petitioner or demolition of the property in dispute, as such, some interim protection may also be granted. 3. Learned State counsel submits that if the petitioner files the application in a proper format it will be duly considered by the authorities concerned in accordance with law within a period of 30 days. 4. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the submission of the parties, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the petitioner to file proper application for grant of Vanbhoomi Adhikar Certificate within a period of 15 days from today before the competent authority. In the eventuality of such an application being filed, the competent authority is also directed to consider and decide the same within further period of 45 days, in accordance with law. 3 5. Till the said application is decided by the competent authority, the respondent authorities are directed not to take any coercive steps against the petitioner in respect of demolition or dispossession from the property in dispute. Sd/- (Amitendra Kishore Prasad) Judge Avinash