(1) When there is a question as to title in any of the property of which partition is sought, the Revenue Officer may decline to grant the application for partition until the question has been determined by a competent Court, or he may himself proceed to determine the question as though he were such a Court.
(2) Where the Revenue Officer himself proceeds to determine the question, the following rule shall apply namely-
(a) If the question is one over which a Revenue Court has jurisdiction, the Revenue Officer shall proceed as a Revenue Court under the provision of 1[Law for the time being in force.]
(b) if the question is one over which a Civil Court has jurisdiction, the procedure of the Revenue Officer shall be that applicable to the trial of an original suit by a Civil Court, and he shall record a judgement and decree containing the
1. Substituted for “Himachal Pradesh Abolition of Big Landed Estates and Land Reforms Act, 1953” vide H.P. Act No. 21 of 1976.
58 THE HIMACHAL PRADESH LAND REVENUE ACT, 1954 particulars required by the Code of Civil Procedure to be specified therein;
(c) an appeal shall lie from the decree of the Revenue officer under clause (b) as though that decree were decree of a Subordinate Judge in an original suit;
(d) Upon such an appeal being made, the District Court or1 [High Court] as the case may be, may issue an injunction to the Revenue Officer requiring him to stay proceedings pending the disposal of the appeal;
(e) from the appellate decree of a District Court upon such an appeal a further appeal shall lie to the 2[High Court] if such a further appeal is allowed by the law for the time being in force.