M.S.Sandhya v. The Commissioner Of Land Administration
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 02.03.2026 CORAM :
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ABDUL QUDDHOSE and W.M.P.Nos.6864 & 6866 of 2026 M.S.Sandhya ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Commissioner of Land Administration, Chepauk, Chennai 600 005.
2.Special District Revenue Officer, SIPCOT, Mannellur, Phase III, Thiruvallur District.
3.District Collector, Thiruvallur, Thiruvallur District.
4.The Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Industries SIPCOT (LA) Department, Fort St.George, Chennai 600 009.
5.The Chairman and Managing Director, SIPCOT, No.19, A Rukmani Lakshmipathy Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008.
... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records relating to the impugned award bearing reference Na.Ka.224/2023/A1/Tha.MA.VA.A/Thiruvallur dated 03.04.2025 (Award Page No.1 of 6
No.12/2025, V.No.10, Alagu-8, Block-8) passed by the 2nd respondent, quash the same as arbitrary, illegal and violative of principles of natural justice, and consequently direct the respondents to disburse the compensation amount of Rs.4,26,17,564/- (Rupees Four Crore Twenty Six Lakhs Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred and Sixty Four Only) directly to the petitioner, while preserving her right to seek enhancement of compensation in the manner known to law.
For Petitioner : Mr.I.Inian For Respondents : Mr.P.Sathish Additional Government Pleader [R1 to R4] Mr.Abishek Murthy Standing Counsel [R5] *****
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed challenging the impugned award, dated 03.04.2025 passed by the 2nd respondent, withholding the disbursement of the compensation amount of Rs.4,26,17,564/- to the petitioner on the ground that the property acquired by the respondents has now been classified as a government land and therefore, the petitioner is not entitled for disbursement of the compensation. The petitioner also seeks for enhancement of compensation in this writ petition.
2. Mr.P.Sathish, learned Additional Government Pleader, accepts notice on behalf of the respondents 1 to 4 and Mr.Abishek Murthy, learned Standing Counsel, accepts notice on behalf of the 5th respondent. Page No.2 of 6
3. The following facts are not disputed :- (a) all the notices prior to the passing of the impugned award dated 03.04.2025 passed by the 2nd respondent as per the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997, was issued only to the petitioner. Therefore, it is clear that the respondents have recognized the petitioner as the land owner.
(b) the petitioner also participated in the impugned proceedings which culminated in the passing of the impugned award, dated 03.04.2025 by the 2nd respondent.
(c) the disbursement of the compensation amount as per the impugned award, dated 03.04.2025 passed by the 2nd respondent is also deposited before the appropriate civil court by the respondents.
4. The very same issue was the subject matter of consideration in another writ petition filed by a similarly placed person in W.P.No.21220 of 2025. By order, dated 17.10.2025, in the said writ petition in the case of Bharathy & 3 Ors Vs. Commissioner of Land Administration & 4 Ors., the award withholding the payment of compensation amount of the said petitioners was set aside by this Court and it was held due to the Page No.3 of 6
above-mentioned undisputed facts that the petitioners therein were entitled to receive compensation and they were also entitled to seek for enhancement of compensation, which the respondents will have to decide on merits and in accordance with law.
5. Apart from the aforesaid order, dated 17.10.2025 passed in W.P.No.21220 of 2025, another learned Single Judge of this Court had also passed a similar order on 19.02.2026 in W.P.No.3896 of 2026. In view of the fact that similarly placed persons were held to be entitled to receive compensation, the petitioner also should get the very same benefit.
6. For the foregoing reasons, the impugned award, dated 03.04.2025 passed by the 2nd respondent is hereby quashed only insofar as the withholding of the compensation amount payable to the petitioner as determined under the impugned award is concerned, and the petitioner is entitled to receive the determined compensation amount as per the impugned award and the petitioner is also entitled to file appropriate application before the civil court seeking for disbursement of the determined compensation and the said civil court shall also consider the Page No.4 of 6
petitioner's application seeking for enhancement of compensation on merits and in accordance with law.
7. In the above terms, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 02.03.2026 Index : Yes / No (1⁄4) Speaking order / Non-speaking order sp To 1.The Commissioner of Land Administration, Chepauk, Chennai 600 005.
2.The Special District Revenue Officer, SIPCOT, Mannellur, Phase III, Thiruvallur District.
3.The District Collector, Thiruvallur, Thiruvallur District.
4.The Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Industries SIPCOT (LA) Department, Fort St.George, Chennai 600 009.
5.The Chairman and Managing Director, SIPCOT, No.19, A Rukmani Lakshmipathy Road, Egmore, Chennai 600 008.
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ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
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