A.Radhakrishnan v. The Vigilance Commissioner,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 24.04.2026 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN A.Radhakrishnan S/o. T.Arumuga Gounder 38, Mettu Agraharam Salem - 636 001 Petitioner(s) Vs
1. The Vigilance Commissioner Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009 2.The Secretary to Government Public Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 3.The Secretary to Government Revenue Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 4.The Secretary to Government Home Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 5.The Secretary to Government Public Works Department Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009
6.The Secretary to Government Housing and Urban Development Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 7.The Secretary to Government Municipal Administration and water supply Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 8.The Secretary to Government Energy Department, Secretariat Chennai - 600 009 9.The Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Ezhilagam 10.The Commissioner of Land Administration Administration Ezhilagam, Chepauk, Chennai 11.The Commissioner of Survey and Settlements, Survey House Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005 12.The Director of Town and Country Planning Koyambedu, Chennai - 600 107 13.The Commissioner of Municipal Administration 75, Urban Administrative Building MRC Nagar, Raja Annamalaipuram Santhome High Road Chennai - 600 028 14.The Chairman Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited NPKRR Maaligai, 144, Anna Salai Chennai- 600 002
15.The Additional Director General of Police Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited NPKRR Maaligai, 144, Anna Salai Chennai- 600002 16.The Engineer in Chief/ Chief Engineer (General) Buildings Wing, Chepauk Chennai- 600 005 17.The Director General of Police/ Head of the Police Force Kamarajar Salai, Chennai - 600 004 18.The Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption 293, MKN Road, Alandur Chennai - 600 016.
(RR1 to 18 deleted from the array of respondents vide order dated 16.04.2026 made in WMP.16065/2026 in WP.12275/2026) 19.The District Executive Magistrate/ Collector Salem Town - 636 001 20.The Additional District Executive Magistrate/District Revenue Officer Salem Town - 636 001 21.The Sub Divisional Executive Magistrate/Revenue Divisional Officer Bhavani Road, Mettur, Salem District-636401 22.The Taluk Executive Magistrate/Tahsildar Mettur, Salem District - 636 401
23.The Superintendent of Police Nethimedu, Salem - 636 002 (R23 deleted from the array of respondents vide order dated 16.04.2026 made in WMP.16065/2026 in WP.12275/2026) 24.The Deputy Director District Town and Country Planning office Salem - Irumbaalai Main Road Thalavaipatti Ooratchi Village Kollampatti Post, Salem-636 302 25.The Regional Director of Municipal Administration Rajendra Chatram, Leigh Bazaar Road, Arisipalayam Salem - 636 009 (R25 deleted from the array of respondents vide order dated 16.04.2026 made in WMP.16065/2026 in WP.12275/2026) 26.The Municipal Commissioner Mettur Municipality, Chinnamettur Mettur, Salem District - 636 401 27.The Superintendenting Engineer (Buildings) Constructions and Maintenance Kumarasamypatty, Salem - 636 007 28.The Superintendenting Engineer Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited Mettur, Salem District - 636 401
(RR27 & 28 deleted from the array of respondents vide order dated 16.04.2026 made in WMP.16065/2026 in WP.12275/2026) 29.Venkatachalam Taluk Office compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 30.R. Mani Taluk Office Compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 31.P. Palanisamy S/o. Ponnusamy Taluk office Compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 32.Malliga W/o. Arumugam Taluk Office Compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 33.M. Selvaraj S/o. Marimuthu Taluk Office Compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 34.K. Palanisamy S/o. Kannupaiyan Taluk Office Compound, Mettur Salem District- 636 401 35.Saroja W/o. Duraisamy, Taluk Office Compound, Mettur Salem District - 636 401 Respondent(s) PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents 1 to
28 to remove the illegal encroachments made by the respondents 29 to 35 herein in Ward A, Block 43, Urban Survey No.6/1, measuring 0.54510.0 hectares, classified as Taluk Office premises in Mettur Taluk, Salem District and consequentially direct the concerned respondents to conduct jamapandhi meeting all over the Salem District to prevent the encroachment on the public lands by considering petitioner representations dated 29.11.2024 and 19.03.2026 and 9th and 11th respondents communications.
For Petitioner(s):
Mr.R.Marudhachalamurthy For Respondent(s):Mr.M.Habeeb Rahman Government Advocate for R19 to R22, R24 No appearance for R26
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) Heard.
2. This writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed for issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the official respondents to remove the illegal encroachments made by respondent Nos.29 to 35 in Ward A, Block 43, Urban Survey
No.6/1, measuring 0.54510.0 hectares, classified as Taluk Office premises in Mettur Taluk, Salem District.
3. Today when the matter is taken up for hearing, learned State counsel, on instructions, submitted that the Tahsildar, Mettur, has already conducted a survey and found seven encroachments in Survey No.6/1. He would submit that notices under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 were issued to the encroachers and, after following due process, they will remove the encroachments, as expeditiously as possible.
4. Taking note of the fact that notices under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 were issued to the encroachers and the statement that further action in accordance with law will be taken as early as possible, we dispose of the writ petition with a direction to the Tahsildar, Mettur (respondent No.22) to remove the encroachments, after following due process of law, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
There shall be no order as to costs.
(SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN,J) 24.04.2026 Index :
Yes/No :
Yes/No bbr To:
1.The District Executive Magistrate/ Collector Salem Town - 636 001 2.The Additional District Executive Magistrate/District Revenue Officer Salem Town - 636 001 3.The Sub Divisional Executive Magistrate/Revenue Divisional Officer Bhavani Road, Mettur, Salem District-636401 4.The Taluk Executive Magistrate/Tahsildar Mettur, Salem District - 636 401 5.The Deputy Director District Town and Country Planning office Salem - Irumbaalai Main Road Thalavaipatti Ooratchi Village Kollampatti Post, Salem-636 302 6.The Municipal Commissioner Mettur Municipality, Chinnamettur Mettur, Salem District - 636 401
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.
bbr 24.04.2026