Reasonable time limits revisional power: delayed challenge under land revenue law was held unsustainable after long inaction.

Section 257 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code was held not to confer an unlimited revisional power merely because no express limitation period is stated. The Court applied the principle that statutory revision must be exercised within a reasonable time, assessed in light of the statutory scheme, the nature of the order, and surrounding facts. A revision initiated after about 17 years was found far beyond any reasonable period, particularly where the original order had remained unchallenged, no fraud was found, and the belated challenge disturbed a long-settled position. The revisional order was therefore unsustainable and the impugned orders were set aside.

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Issues: Whether the revisional power under Section 257 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 can be exercised at any time despite the absence of an express limitation period, and whether a revision initiated after a long delay was legally sustainable.

Analysis: The revisional power conferred by Section 257 is not time-free merely because the provision does not prescribe a specific limitation period. A statutory power of revision must be exercised within a reasonable time, the length of which depends on the statutory scheme, the nature of the order, and the surrounding facts. Applying that principle, the Court held that a delay of about 17 years in invoking revision was far beyond any reasonable period. The original order had remained unchallenged for many years, there was no finding of fraud, and the belated revision unsettled a long-settled position without justification.

Conclusion: The revisional order was not sustainable, since the power under Section 257 could not be exercised after such an inordinate delay. The challenge succeeded in favour of the appellants, and the impugned orders were set aside.

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