Though revenue entries do not confer title, they are admissible as evidence of possession
Though revenue entries do not confer title, they are admissible as evidence of possession, observed the Supreme Court in a recent judgment. "Revenue records are public documents maintained by government officials in the regular course of duties and carry a presumption of correctness under Section 35 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. While it is true that revenue entries do not by themselves confer title, they are admissible as evidence of possession and can support a claim of ownership when corroborated by other evidence," the Court observed. The Court also reiterated that the State cannot claim adverse possession over the property of private citizens. "Allowing the State to appropriate private property through adverse possession would undermine the constitutional rights of citizens and erode public trust in the government," observed a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B Varale. The observation was made in a judgment dismissing an appeal