Ordinary meaning of "buildings" under property abolition law includes uncovered ottas and chabutras with appurtenant land.

The Supreme Court construed "buildings" in section 5(a) of the Madhya Pradesh Abolition of Proprietary Rights Act, 1950 according to its ordinary meaning in the statutory setting. Although section 4(1)(a) vested village bazar land in the State, section 5(a) preserved buildings within a village site belonging to the outgoing proprietor and required settlement of the land beneath them and the appurtenant area. The term was held not to be limited to roofed structures, because the legislative scheme indicated an intention to retain proprietary structures erected within the village site with their associated land. Uncovered ottas and chabutras were therefore treated as buildings for this purpose, and the occupied land and appurtenant area were required to be settled with the ex-proprietor.

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Issues: Whether uncovered ottas and chabutras within a village bazar are "buildings" within section 5(a) of the Madhya Pradesh Abolition of Proprietary Rights (Estates, Mahals, Alienated Lands) Act, 1950, so that the land occupied by them and the appurtenant land must be settled with the ex-proprietor.

Analysis: Section 4(1)(a) vested village bazar land in the State, but section 5(a) carved out an exception for buildings within the limits of a village site belonging to the outgoing proprietor and required settlement of the land thereof and the appurtenant area. The term "buildings" was construed according to its ordinary and literal sense in the setting of the Act. In that context, the word was not confined to roofed structures, and the legislative scheme showed that structures erected by the ex-proprietor within the village site were intended to be preserved with the proprietor along with the land appurtenant to them.

Conclusion: Uncovered ottas and chabutras fell within the expression "buildings" in section 5(a), and the land covered by them with the appurtenant area was required to be settled with the respondent.

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