S.Kumar v. The State Of Tamil Nadu

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 19.06.2026 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN W.P.No. 47575 of 2025 S.Kumar No.4/31, Mandhakarai Street, Ayandur Village, Ayandur Post, Kandachipuram Taluk, Villupuram District-605 755.

Petitioner(s) Vs

1. The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Secretary, Revenue And Disaster Management, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.

2. The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.

3. The District Collector Office of the District Collector, Villupuram District, Villupuram-605 602.

4. The Revenue Divisional Officer Villupuram-605 602.

5. The Tahsildar Kandachipuram Taluk, Kandachipuram-605 701.

6. The Block Development Officer / Commissioner, Mugaiyur Panchayat Union, Mugaiyur, Operating at Manampoondi-605 759.

7. The District Registrar 34/68, Arignar Anna East Street, Villupuram-605 602.

8. R.Boomadevi (The Village Panchayat President), Ayandur Village Panchayat, Kandachipuram Taluk, Villupuram District-605 755.

Respondent(s) PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus (i) directing the 3rd respondent, The District collector, Villupuram to conduct an enquiry on the petitioners detailed representation dated 16.12.2024 and to take legal action against R.Boomadevi (R8) (Present Panchayat President), Ayandur Village Panchayat, Kandachipuram taluk, Villupuram District and the other authorities involved in the illegal patta transfer; (ii) and to cancel the patta issued in the name 8th respondent for the land in Survey No.15/24 and consequently restore the patta in the name of the commissioner Mugaiyur Panchayat Union; (iii) and to cancel the settlement deed executed by the 8th respondent in favour of her son R.Kumar in Document No.1822/2017 dated 28.07.2017 on the file of the Sub Registrar, Arangandanallur.

For Petitioner(s):

Mr.A.Inbasekaran

For Respondent(s):Mr.R.Veeramani Government Pleader for R1 to R7 Mr.V.Venkatasamy for R8

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) The petitioner has preferred this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a writ of mandamus: (i) directing the third respondent to conduct an enquiry on the petitioner's detailed representation dated 16.12.2024 and take legal action against the eighth respondent and other involved authorities; (ii) to cancel the patta issued in the name of the eighth respondent for the land in Survey No.15/24 and consequently restore the patta in the name of the Commissioner, Mugaiyur Panchayat Union; and (iii) to cancel the family settlement deed executed by the eighth respondent in favour of her son R.Kumar vide Document No.1822/2017, dated 28.07.2017 on the file of the Sub-Registrar, Aragandanallur.

2. The case of the petitioner is that the land measuring 138 Sq. Meters in Survey No.15/24, Ayandur Village, Kandachiuram Taluk, Villupuram District, is a public property classified in the revenue records in the name of the Commissioner, Mugaiyur Panchayat Union. According to the petitioner, an Anganwadi building under the Mugaiyur Panchayat Union was actively functioning on the said plot. The eighth respondent, utilizing her official capacity and influence as the Village Panchayat President, illegally managed to obtain a Natham Patta in her own name for the said public land. Subsequently, she executed a registered family settlement deed on 28.07.2017 transferring the property to her son, R.Kumar. Despite representations sent by the petitioner to the official respondents to clear the encroachment and restore the revenue entries, no action was taken, prompting the filing of this writ petition.

3. The eighth respondent entered appearance and filed a counter-affidavit asserting that the land in question is Grama Natham land (village site) and the same does not vest with the Government and that she had been in long-standing occupation of the site.

4. The respondent authorities filed a detailed counter affidavit showing subsequent administrative actions. It is stated that recognizing the illegality in the grant of Natham Patta to a private individual, which land was intended for community purposes (Anganwadi infrastructure), the competent revenue authorities initiated proceedings for cancellation.

5. Today, learned Government Pleader appearing for the official respondents submits that the Natham Patta issued in favour of the eighth respondent has already been cancelled by the competent authority, and the land's statutory revenue entries are being restored to their original status.

6. Where the core relief sought by a petitioner has already been addressed and resolved through administrative action by the respondent authorities during the pendency of proceedings, we are of the view that there is no surviving cause of action to be adjudicated in this writ petition.

7. The primary grievance raised by the writ petitioner was the fraudulent procurement of the patta by the eighth respondent over public land. Since the official respondents have taken immediate cognizance of the representation and have cancelled the disputed patta, the main relief sought stands fully satisfied.

8. At this juncture, learned counsel for the eighth respondent submitted that as against the cancellation of patta, a separate writ petition has been filed by the eighth respondent.

9. With the cancellation of the primary patta granted to the eighth respondent, any subsequent derivative title or transfer created by her automatically loses its legal validity and becomes a dead letter in the eyes of law, as a transferor cannot convey a better title than what she holds. The revenue and registration authorities are bound to make necessary cross-entries reflecting this cancellation in their registers.

10. In light of the fact that the patta issued in favour of the eighth respondent has already been cancelled by the official

respondents, nothing survives for further consideration in this writ petition.

Accordingly, this writ petition stands dismissed as infructuous. No costs.

(SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI,CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN,J) 19.06.2026 Index :

Yes/No :

Yes/No sasi

To:

1. The Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu Revenue And Disaster Management, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.

2. The Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.

3. The District Collector Office of the District Collector, Villupuram District, Villupuram-605 602.

4. The Revenue Divisional Officer Villupuram-605 602.

5. The Tahsildar Kandachipuram Taluk, Kandachipuram-605 701.

6. The Block Development Officer / Commissioner, Mugaiyur Panchayat Union, Mugaiyur, Operating at Manampoondi-605 759.

7. The District Registrar 34/68, Arignar Anna East Street, Villupuram-605 602.

THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN,J.

(sasi) W.P.

N o. 47575 of 2025 19.06.2026