Gopala Krishnan v. The District Collector
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 15.04.2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE K. SURENDER 1.
Gopala Krishnan S/o.Chennimalai 2.
Kulathaivelu S/o.Chennimalai ... Petitioners vs.
1.
The District Collector Erode Erode District.
2.
The Revenue Divisional Officer Gobichettipalayam Erode.
3.
Thasildar Anthiyur Taluk Erode District.
... Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st respondent to dispose of the appeals dated 15.03.2026 filed by the petitioners against the orders dated 18.07.2025 on the file of the third respondent and issue direction to Page Nos.1/4
consider the request of the petitioners for grant of patta to the aforesaid land admeasuring 925 sq.ft out of larger extent comprised in Survey Number 318 situated at Kupandampalayam Village, Anthiyur Taluk, Erode. For Petitioners :
Mr.D.Nandhagopal For Respondent :
Mr.T.Arun Kumar Additional Government Pleader *****
O R D E R
[Made by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.,] The writ of mandamus has been instituted to direct the first respondent District Collector, to dispose of the statutory appeal filed by the petitioners under Section 10 of "the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1905)" {hereinafter "1905 Act" for the sake of brevity} on 15.03.2026.
2. The writ petitioners filed the statutory appeal on 15.03.2026 and hurriedly filed the writ petition seeking disposal. Therefore, this Court is not inclined to fix any timeline for the District Collector to dispose of the same. However, the District Collector, on receipt of such statutory appeal, shall register and dispose of the same in the order of seniority and, in exceptional cases, if any urgency has been raised by the aggrieved person, priority is to be given. However, it is not as if an aggrieved Page Nos.2/4
person, after preferring an appeal before the authorities and filing the writ petition, can seek a timeline from this Court. This Court will not fix any time line for the District Collector since the District Collector is already overburdened with other administration work and thus, he will have to dispose of the appeal in a systematic manner and ensure that the aggrieved person is redressed within a reasonable period of time.
3. In the present case, the petitioners state that they have moved an application seeking an interim order. This being the factum, the District Collector shall look into the appeal as well as the interim application and dispose of the same as expeditiously as possible.
4. With the above direction, the Writ Petition stands disposed of. No costs.
(S.M.S.,J.) (K.S.,J.) 15.04.2026 Index : Yes Speaking order / Non-speaking order mk Page Nos.3/4
S. M. SUBRAMANIAM, J., and K. SURENDER, J., mk To 1.
The District Collector Erode Erode District.
2.
The Revenue Divisional Officer Gobichettipalayam Erode.
3.
Thasildar Anthiyur Taluk Erode District.
15.04.2026 (2/2) Page Nos.4/4