V.Rajendran v. The District Collector

1 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 20.03.2024

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN W.P.(MD)No.6772 of 2024 V.Rajendran ... Petitioner Vs.

1. The District Collector, Theni District, Theni.

2. The Tahsildar, Andipatti Taluk, Andipatti, Theni District.

3. The Taluk Surveyor, Andipatti Taluk, Theni District.

4. The Inspector of Police, Kadamalaikundu police station, Andipatti Taluk, Theni District.

5. Kaleeswaran ... Respondents Prayer: Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 2 and 3 to conduct survey and demarcate the boundaries of the petitioner's land situated in survey No.701/1 in Kadamalaikundu Village, Andipatti Taluk, Theni District comprised in patta No.4059 and to provide adequate police protection for fencing his lands by 1/6

2 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 considering the petitioner's representation dated 20.02.2024 within the time stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.A.Karthickkumar For R-1 to R-3 : Mr.M.Lingadurai, Special Government Pleader.

For R-4 : Mr.A.Albert James, Government Advocate.

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O R D E R

The petitioner has applied to the jurisdictional authority for conducting survey of the petition mentioned lands and for demarcation of the boundaries. Since the authority had not acted upon the petitioner's request, this writ petition came to be filed. 2.The scope of this writ petition is confined only for conducting survey. If the petitioner has sought any other reliefs, they can be agitated separately.

3. This writ petition is disposed of at the admission stage itself. It is open to any aggrieved party to move this Court either by way of review or recall of this order, if there is any suppression of material facts by the petitioner.

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3 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 4.The Writ Petition is disposed of with the following directions:- (I) The petitioner is directed to submit his / her application in online mode. The survey authority will scrutinize if the application submitted by the petitioner is in order.

(II) The petitioner will have to enclose all the relevant documents such as patta. The applicant must have individual patta in his / her name. If he / she is having joint patta, co-pattadars must given their consent for conducting survey.

(III) The survey authority will issue notice to the writ petitioner as well as the adjacent land owners and also to the interested persons, if any.

(IV) Enquiry shall be held. During enquiry, objections raised by the adjacent land owners / interested persons shall be considered.

(V) If according to the jurisdictional authority, the objections are without any basis, the same shall be overruled 3/6

4 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 and the objectors shall be informed accordingly. But the survey will be conducted only after a period of six weeks so that the objector can move the concerned Court for injunction. If before the proposed date of survey, the objector is unable to obtain any injunction order, the survey can very well go on. (VI) It is open to the parties to serve memo of instructions to the surveyor at the time of conducting survey. The same will be borne in mind. While it cannot be binding on the surveyor, the same will be taken note of. (VII) If the jurisdictional authority finds objections to be having substance, then, he shall call upon the applicant to move the jurisdictional civil Court for agitating his rights.

(VIII) If required, the survey authority is empowered to seek aid of the jurisdictional police and the jurisdictional police are mandated to grant police protection. (IX) It is made clear that at the end of the survey exercise, survey stones alone can be installed. The exercise of survey and demarcation undertaken pursuant to the direction of this Court can never result in dispossession of any party.

5 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 police aid.

(X) The survey authority will conclude the entire exercise one way or the other within a period of six weeks after service of notice on the interested persons.

(XI) A copy of the survey report along with sketch will be served on the parties. No costs.

20.03.2024 Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No PMU To:

1. The District Collector, Theni District, Theni.

2. The Tahsildar, Andipatti Taluk, Andipatti, Theni District.

3. The Taluk Surveyor, Andipatti Taluk, Theni District.

4. The Inspector of Police, Kadamalaikundu police station, Andipatti Taluk, Theni District.

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6 W.P.(MD)NO.6772 OF 2024 G.R.SWAMINATHAN,J.

PMU W.P.(MD)No.6772 of 2024 20.03.2024 6/6