The Kerala Land Reforms Act Of 1964 came into force on 1 April 1964.
Excluding 3.87 acres and another 12 acres for the ceiling area the excess land was 12.51 acres.
From the judgment and order dated 10 10 1974 of the Kerala High Court in Civil Revision Petition No.
He alone was the owner of all the lands.
The donees were number minors on the date of the gift.
To the eldest of them a daughter, who was a major on 1 January, 1970 he transferred 3.84 acres.
On 28 March, 1974 the respondent executed three deeds of gift transferring a total extent of 12.83 acres to his three children.
On 1 January, 1970 the Kerala Land Reforms Act as amended by Act 35 of 1969 came into force.
He was found to have a total area of 28.38 acres.
The respondents companytention which was accepted by the High Court was repeated here.
The ceiling area allowed under section 82 1 of the Act for a family companysisting of two or more but number more than five members is 10 standard acres which should number be less than 12 and more than 15 ordinary acres in extent.
The Land Board recog nised the gift to the eldest daughter who was a major on 1 January 1970 and required the respondent to surrender 8.78 acres which was the subject matter of the other two deeds of gift.
On this footing the respondent would be entitled to have number less than 12 acres on the numberified date, namely, 1 January, 1970.
A statement showing the determination was served on him and his wife.
They were asked to file objections.
The companytentions were these.
Out of 28.38 acres 3.87 acres were ex empted under section 81.
The respond ent made gifts of his excess land on 28 March, 1974.
Two of his children were minors on 1 January, 1970.
It is also said by the appel lant that the decision of the Division Bench is affirmed by the Full Bench of the Kerala High Court in the Judgment reported in 1976 K.L.T. 362.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Civil Appeal No.
On 5 April, 1974 the Land Board served numberice on the respondent saying that the gifts were invalid and directed the re spondent to surrender the excess Land in excess of the ceiling area as found on 1 January, 1970.
The respondent flied an objection on 5 April, 1974 stating that he and his wife who were the remaining members of the statutory family did number hold more than the ceiling area available to the family and therefore he was number liable to surrender any excess land.
1177 of 1975.
Two of the respondents children a daughter and a son who were minors on 1 January 1970 attained majority in 1971 and 1973 respectively.
To the second daughter who became a major in 1971 he transferred 3.85 acres and to his son who became a major in 1973 he transferred 5.14 acres.
C. Raghavan and P.K. Pillai, for the respondent.
The High Court declared on a revision petition that the respondent was number liable to surrender the lands speci fied in the order of the Land Board.
T. Harindranath, and K.M.K. Nair, for the appellants.
The respondent in the High Court challenged the order of the Land Board directing him to surrender 8.78 acres of land.
734/74 .
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by RAY, C.J. This appeal is by special leave from the judg ment dated 10 October, 1974 of the High Court of Kerala.
The respondent flied a statement under section 85 a of the Kerala Land Reforms Act 2964 hereinafter called the Act and showed there that the statement related to the family companysisting of himself, his wife and children.
