MAHADEO vs THE STATE OF BOMBAY(and connected petitions)

The Supreme Court held that the agreements granting rights to take forest produce, including tendu leaves, required registration under the Central Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1917 and the Madhya Pradesh Abolition of Proprietary Rights Act, 1950. The Court ruled that in the absence of registration, the rights could not be enforced, thus upholding the government's action to auction the rights afresh. The petitioners' claims were dismissed as they did not hold proprietary rights as defined in the relevant statutes, and the agreements were deemed invalid due to non-registration.