STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ANR. ETC. vs ELIZABETH MAYNE AND ANR. ETC.

The Supreme Court ruled that holders of 'Bane Lands' do not possess proprietary rights over the soil or trees but have limited privileges for domestic use under the Coorg Land and Revenue Regulations, 1899, and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964. The Court held that the deletion of Rule 137 of the Karnataka Forest Rules, 1969, which allowed redemption of timber at 50% value, did not grant any new rights to Bane holders. The Court affirmed the Mysore High Court's decision that Bane holders could redeem timber only if they had deposited the requisite amount before the deletion of the rule, thus upholding the State's appeal against the earlier ruling.