Constitution and character

The Tribunal is constituted under the Bombay Revenue Tribunal Act, 1957 (Bombay Act No. XXXI of 1958), as adapted and modified for Gujarat by the Gujarat Adaptation of Laws (State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960. Its procedure is governed by the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal Rules, 1982.

Two features of the 1957 Act are worth noting at the outset.

Section 12 preserves powers conferred on the Tribunal by other laws: nothing in the Act affects powers or functions conferred on the Tribunal by or under any other law in force to entertain and decide appeals or applications for revision. The Tribunal’s jurisdiction therefore flows from the individual statutes as much as from its constituting Act.

Section 19 addresses court fees. Notwithstanding the law relating to court fees, no court fee is levied on an appeal or application made to the Tribunal — subject to the proviso that where the Tribunal exercises powers under a tenancy law or other special law which itself provides for the levy of court fee, that provision applies.

What the Tribunal hears

The Tribunal’s caseload comes from the land reform and tenancy statutes, and it typically reviews orders of the Mamlatdar, the Agricultural Land Tribunal, the Deputy Collector and the Collector.

Under the Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948, Section 75 provides for an appeal to the GRT against an award of the Collector in the cases the section identifies, and provides that in deciding such appeals the Tribunal exercises the powers of a court and follows, subject to the regulations framed under the 1957 Act, the procedure a court follows in deciding appeals from a decree or order of an original court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. Section 76 provides for an application for revision to the Tribunal against an order of the Collector, subject to the exceptions the section specifies.

Corresponding provisions in other statutes confer jurisdiction in matters concerning prevention of fragmentation and consolidation of holdings and agricultural land ceiling.

That same tenancy legislation bars the jurisdiction of civil courts to settle, decide or deal with any question which the Act requires to be settled by the Tribunal or the authorities under it — which is why tenancy questions cannot simply be taken to a civil suit.

Appeal or revision?

The distinction between an appeal and a revision before the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal (GRT) determines the scope of the grounds that can be raised.

An appeal under the relevant provision is a rehearing: the Tribunal may reconsider the evidence and substitute its own conclusion, and Section 75 of the tenancy legislation expressly equips it with the powers and procedure of a court hearing an appeal from an original decree.

A revision is narrower. It examines the legality and propriety of the order and the regularity of the proceedings — jurisdiction, procedure, application of the correct legal test, and whether the conclusion is one no reasonable authority could reach — rather than reweighing the evidence.

An application should invoke the correct provision and frame its grounds accordingly. Grounds drafted as if for an appeal, filed in a revision, invite the answer that the GRT is not sitting in appeal.

Filing a GRT Appeal or Revision

The appeal or revision application is presented in accordance with the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal Rules, 1982, and should set out:

• the parties, including the revenue authorities whose orders are under challenge;
• the statutory provision under which the proceeding is filed;
• a chronological account of the proceedings below, with the date of each order and the date of its service;
• the grounds, stated separately;
• the relief sought; and
• a verification.

The record does the work. The impugned order, every order below it, the notices and proof of service, the entries and documents relied upon, and the evidence recorded before the authority should be annexed.

Where the impugned order is being acted upon, interim relief should be sought at the time of filing.

Limitation of GRT Appeal

The limitation period for a Gujarat Revenue Tribunal (GRT) appeal or revision is prescribed by the specific statute conferring jurisdiction, rather than by a single uniform rule. It may vary under the Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, the fragmentation and consolidation legislation, or the agricultural land ceiling legislation. The applicable statutory provision should therefore be identified and checked before filing.

If the proceeding is filed after the prescribed period, an application for condonation of delay should accompany it, setting out the reasons for the delay and the relevant dates.

The limits of the jurisdiction

Two limits recur.

The Tribunal decides the questions the statute assigns to it. A dispute that is really about ownership under the general law — the validity of a sale deed, succession among heirs, adverse possession — is a civil court matter, even where agricultural land is involved. What the Tribunal decides are the statutory questions: whether a person is a tenant or a deemed tenant, whether a purchase under the tenancy legislation is valid, whether a holding exceeds the ceiling, whether a transfer offends the fragmentation provisions.

It reviews the authority’s decision, not the parties’ preferences. Where the authority below has recorded findings after a hearing on evidence, an appellant needs to show error, not merely disagreement.

After the Tribunal

An order of the Tribunal may be challenged before the High Court of Gujarat by a Special Civil Application. The High Court does not sit in appeal on the facts; it examines jurisdiction, procedure and the correctness of the legal test applied.

Whether the petition is treated as invoking Article 226 or Article 227 has downstream significance, because it affects whether an intra-court appeal will lie from the Single Judge’s order — a point best addressed in the pleadings rather than discovered later.

A practical note

Tenancy and land reform litigation in Gujarat is old litigation. Matters frequently turn on entries and orders made decades earlier, and on whether statutory notices were served at the time. Reconstructing that record — the village records, the Agricultural Land Tribunal’s file, the certified copies of entries and the proof of service — is usually the most valuable work done in preparing an appeal, and it is work that cannot be done at the hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal a civil court?

No. The Gujarat Revenue Tribunal is a statutory tribunal with jurisdiction over specific matters assigned to it by land reform and tenancy laws.

What matters does the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal hear?

GRT hears appeals and revisions in matters assigned by statutes such as the Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, fragmentation and consolidation laws, and agricultural land ceiling legislation.

What is the difference between an appeal and a revision?

An appeal generally permits broader reconsideration of the case, including evidence and findings. A revision is narrower and focuses on the legality, propriety and regularity of the order and proceedings.

What is the limitation period for filing before the Tribunal?

There is no single limitation period for every Gujarat Revenue Tribunal proceeding. The applicable period depends on the statute and provision under which the appeal or revision is filed.

Can a civil suit be filed for a tenancy dispute?

Generally, no where the tenancy legislation expressly bars the civil court from deciding questions assigned to the Tribunal or statutory authorities. The specific nature of the dispute must first be examined.

Can a Gujarat Revenue Tribunal order be challenged in the High Court?

Yes. An order of the Tribunal may generally be challenged before the Gujarat High Court through an appropriate writ proceeding, subject to the applicable jurisdictional principles.

What documents should be filed with a GRT appeal or revision?

The impugned order, earlier orders, notices and proof of service, relevant revenue entries, documents relied upon, and the evidence or record necessary to establish the grounds should be compiled with the application.

Can interim relief be sought before the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal?

Yes. Where the challenged order is likely to be acted upon, the applicant should consider seeking appropriate interim relief along with the appeal or revision.

Legal Information Disclaimer

This article is published for general legal information and educational purposes only. It reflects the position of Indian law as researched up to 10 August 2026 and may not account for subsequent amendments, notifications, rule changes or judicial developments. It is not legal advice, does not take into account any individual’s particular facts or circumstances, and no advocate-client relationship arises from reading it. Outcomes in litigation depend on the specific facts of each case and on procedural requirements in force at the relevant time. Readers dealing with an actual dispute should obtain independent professional advice from a qualified advocate of their own choosing before acting on any information contained here. Statutory provisions, notified figures, rules and case citations referred to in this article have been compiled from published legal materials and may contain errors or omissions, and may have changed since the date stated; no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to their accuracy, completeness or currency, and each should be independently verified against the official text or the official record before being relied upon. No liability is accepted for any loss arising from reliance on this article.

Sources / Authorities

• Bombay Revenue Tribunal Act, 1957 (Bombay Act No. XXXI of 1958), as adapted and modified by the Gujarat Adaptation of Laws (State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960 — constitution, powers and functions of the Gujarat Revenue Tribunal; Section 12 (saving of powers under other laws) and Section 19 (court fees) — India Code, https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/4613/1/revenuetribunalact.pdf
• Gujarat Revenue Tribunal Rules, 1982
• Gujarat Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 — Sections 75 and 76, and the bar on the jurisdiction of civil courts
• Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947, as applicable in Gujarat
• Gujarat Land Revenue Code, 1879 — Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat, https://revenuedepartment.gujarat.gov.in/downloads/act_BLRC_1879_n.pdf
• Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
• Constitution of India, Articles 226 and 227

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