PNS
Ranchi
Bringing an end to a nearly 56-year-old legal dispute, the Jharkhand High Court has upheld the validity of the 1968 transfer of the historic Santhal Mission properties in Dumka, affirming the rights of the Trust Association of the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC).
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar dismissed Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) Nos. 79 and 80 of 1992, thereby upholding a 1992 Single Judge’s verdict that had declared the February 10, 1968 Instrument of Transfer legally valid.
The dispute dates back to the Santhal Mission of Northern Churches (SMNC), established in 1880 for educational, social welfare and missionary activities in the Santhal Pargana region. In 1968, the mission’s trustees transferred the administration of its properties to NELC, leading to prolonged litigation.
Two title suits were filed in 1971. While one challenged the legality of the transfer, alleging misuse of trust powers, the other sought recognition of NELC’s ownership and management rights. The trial court delivered conflicting judgments in 1985 and 1986, prompting appeals before the Patna High Court.
In its latest ruling, the Division Bench held that the plaintiffs failed to prove allegations of breach of trust, mismanagement or abuse of authority by the trustees. It also observed that NELC had not been made a party to one of the original suits, making any order affecting its rights legally untenable.
With the dismissal of the appeals, the High Court has reaffirmed the legality of the 1968 trust transfer, bringing one of Jharkhand’s longest-running church property disputes to a close.
