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.6875 & 6877 of 2026 1.M.S.Sandhya 2.C.H.Chandrasekhar ... Petitioners 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 Page No.1 of 7
records of the 2nd respondent pertaining to the impugned award bearing reference Na.Ka.224/2023/A1/Tha.MA.VA.A/Thiruvallur dated 03.04.2025 (Award No.12/2025, V.No.12, Alagu-8, Block-8), 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.7,15,947/- directly to the bank accounts of the petitioners, while preserving their right to seek enhancement of compensation in the manner known to law.
For Petitioners : 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.7,15,947/- to the petitioners on the ground that the property acquired by the respondents has now been classified as a government land and therefore, the petitioners are not entitled for disbursement of the compensation. The petitioners also seek for enhancement of compensation in this writ petition.
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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.
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 petitioners. Therefore, it is clear that the respondents have recognized the petitioners as the land owner.
(b) the petitioners 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 Page No.3 of 7
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 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 petitioners 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 petitioners as determined under the impugned award is concerned, and the petitioners are entitled to receive the determined compensation amount as per the impugned award and the petitioners are also entitled to file appropriate Page No.4 of 7
application before the civil court seeking for disbursement of the determined compensation amount and the said civil court shall also consider the petitioners' 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 (3/4) Speaking order / Non-speaking order sp To 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.
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ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
sp 02.03.2026 (3/4) Page No.6 of 7
W.M.P.No.6874 of 2026 in ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
Ordered on payment of single court fee.
02.03.2026 sp (2/4) Page No.7 of 7