M.Saravanan v. The District Collector/Monitoring Committee,

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 23.02.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE G.JAYACHANDRAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN and W.M.P.(MD) No.4163 of 2026 M.Saravanan ... Petitioner -vs1.The District Collector / Monitoring Committee Pudukkottai District Pudukkottai 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer Illuppur, Pudukkottai District 3.The Thashildhar Ponnamaravathy Pudukkottai District 4.The Block Development Officer Ponnamaravathy Panchayat Union Ponnamaravathy Pudukkottai District 5.Shanthi ... Respondents

PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of certiorarified mandamus calling for the records pertaining to the 4th respondent's impugned order in Na.Ka.No.Aa-2/0509/2026 dated 09.02.2026 to quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the 2nd respondent to issue patta to the petitioner by re-classifying his possessed lands and its extent of 0.03.00 Ares situated in Survey No.677/1 of Ponnamaravathy East Village, Ponnmaravathy Taluk, Pudukkottai District, according to law. For Petitioner :

Mr.A.Prasanna Rajadurai For Respondents :

Mr.J.Ashok Additional Government Pleader for R1 to R4

O R D E R

[Order of the Court was made by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.] Mr.J.Ashok, learned Additional Government Pleader, takes notice for the respondents 1 to 4.

2. The petitioner herein aggrieved by the notice, dated 09.02.2026, issued by the fourth respondent, under Section 131(2) of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994, is before this Court seeking to quash the same on the

ground that he is residing in the subject land for the past forty years and his request for issuance of patta is still pending before the District Collector.

3. Learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 4, on instructions, would submit that the application for issuance of patta on the ground of long inhabitation and occupation cannot be a ground to interfere with the notice issued under Section 131(2) of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994. Section 131(2) only enables the grassroots / revenue officials to report about any encroachment in the village panachayat lands to the higher officials of the Revenue Department to institute proceedings under the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 and to secure the removal of the encroachments in the village panchayat lands.

4. From the reading of the impugned notice, it is clear that the petitioner has been directed to remove the encroachment on or before 25.02.2026, failing which, the matter will be referred to the Tahsildar for further action. In such circumstances, it is not necessary for the Court to interfere with such matters and if at all the petitioner has any grievance or objection regarding the impugned notice, it is always open to him to make a

representation to the Tahsildar and other authorities and seek for appropriate orders for issuance of patta. We make it clear that pendency of the application for issuance of patta shall not stand in the way of the Revenue Authorities to remove the illegal encroachments in the public land, subject to adherence of the procedures established under law. While doing so, the representation of the petitioner for issuance of patta shall also be considered by the authority concerned.

5. With the above observations, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. [G.J., J.] [K.K.R.K., J.] 23.02.2026 NCC :

Yes / No Index :

Yes / No Internet :

Yes / No krk To:

1.The District Collector / Monitoring Committee, Pudukkottai District, Pudukkottai.

2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Illuppur, Pudukkottai District.

3.The Thashildhar, Ponnamaravathy, Pudukkottai District.

4.The Block Development Officer, Ponnamaravathy Panchayat Union, Ponnamaravathy, Pudukkottai District.

DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.

AND K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN, J.

krk and W.M.P.(MD) No.4163 of 2026 23.02.2026