C.Murugan v. The Additional Cheif Secretary Of
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 24.03.2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE K. SURENDER and W.M.P.No.12179 of 2026 1.
C.Murugan S/o.Cinnaiyan 2.
Sangeetha D/o.Cinnaiyan 3.
C.Sevathan S/o.Cinnaiyan ... Petitioners vs.
1.
The Additional Chief Secretary of Government of Tamil Nadu Revenue Department Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.
The Commissioner of Land Administration Ezhilagam, Chepauk, Chennai -600 005.
3.
The Colelctor of Kallkurichi District Collectorate, Kallakurichi.
4.
The Revenue Divisional officer Revenue Office, Kallakurichi.
Page Nos.1/6
5.
The Revenue Tahsildar, Office of the Tahsildar Kalvarayan Hills Taluk Kallakurichi District.
... Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records from the 1st respondent pertaining to their impugned order dated 20.02.2026 made in G.O.(Std.)No.237 of the 1st respondent, directing the 5th respondent to implement the orders of this Hon'ble Court dated 30.03.2023 made in W.P.Nos.34864 of 2018 and 6818 of 2020 by considering the petitioners' representation dated 10.05.2025 to the 3rd respondent for granting Ryotwari patta to the petitioners as per their Family Settlement Deed dated 16.06.1970, registered Document No.560 of 1970 at the Sub Registrar Office, Vadakkanandal, for their lands, situated in Vellimalai Village, Kalvarayan Hills Taluk, Kallakurichi District. For Petitioners :
Mr.R.Agilesh For Respondents :
Mr.T.Arun Kumar Additional Government Pleader *****
O R D E R
[Made by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.,] The writ on hand has been instituted challenging the order of rejection passed by the Government, rejecting the claim of the petitioners Page Nos.2/6
for grant of patta in Government Order No.237, Revenue and Disaster Management Department dated 20.02.2026.
2. The petitioners state that they hold rights in respect of the subject land described in the writ proceedings. However, the Revenue Authorities as well as the Government failed to consider the documents produced by the petitioners. The Original Authority under the Tamil Nadu Patta Pass Book Act, 1983, declined to grant patta in respect of the subject land and the petitioners filed an appeal and thereafter, a revision before the Government.
3. The Government, elaborately considered the issues on merits with reference to the revenue records and arrived at a conclusion that the subject land is classified as "Government Assessed-free Waste Rocky Land" in Survey No.20/2 of Vellimalai Village, Kalvarayan Hills Taluk, Kallkurichi District.
4. The said lands under Jagirdar control were taken over by the Government in the year 1976, surveyed and converted into Ryotwari lands and settlement was made based on pre-existing rights and eligibility under the provisions of "the Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963" [hereinafter "said Act" for the sake of brevity]. Page Nos.3/6
Therefore, the right claimed by the petitioners on pre-existing right and eligibility was considered by the Government and the Government made a finding that the petitioners' father had not submitted any petition seeking settlement. Subsequently, also neither the petitioners' father nor his legalheirs have claimed any rights or filed appeals regarding the said land. That apart, the said land is essential for the Government use i.e., for public purpose and therefore, the claim of the petitioners for grant of patta was rejected.
5. The learned counsel for the petitioners would submit that to establish the petitioners' pre-existing right, they have instituted a civil suit in O.S.No.234 of 2022 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Sankarapuram. 6, The learned Additional Government Pleader would submit that the suit is expressly barred under the provisions of the said Act.
7. In any event, it is for the parties to raise all issues before the Civil Court along with documents and evidence. The Civil Court shall decide the issues on merits and in accordance with law, after affording opportunity to all the parties.
8. In this view of the matter, the petitioners are at liberty to pursue the civil suit already instituted to redress their grievances or to establish Page Nos.4/6
their rights, if any, permissible under law.
9. With the above observation, the Writ Petition stands dismissed. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs.
(S.M.S.,J.) (K.S.,J.) 24.03.2026 Index : Yes Speaking order / Non-speaking order mk To 1.
The Additional Chief Secretary of Government of Tamil Nadu Revenue Department Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.
The Commissioner of Land Administration Ezhilagam, Chepauk, Chennai -600 005.
3.
The Colelctor of Kallkurichi District Collectorate, Kallakurichi.
4.
The Revenue Divisional officer Revenue Office, Kallakurichi.
5.
The Revenue Tahsildar, Office of the Tahsildar Kalvarayan Hills Taluk Kallakurichi District.
Page Nos.5/6
S. M. SUBRAMANIAM, J., and K. SURENDER, J., mk 24.03.2026 (2/2) Page Nos.6/6