Ambika v. The Tahsildar

1 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 04.04.2024

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN W.P.(MD)No.8582 of 2024 Ambika ... Petitioner Vs.

The Tahsildar, Thirumayam Taluk, Pudukottai District.

... Respondent Prayer: Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondent to survey and demarcate the boundaries of property situated in Survey No.390/3, Tirumayam Taluk, Pudukottai District corresponding to Patta No. 730 as per the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923 within the time that may be stipulated by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff For Respondent : Mr.G.Vairam Santhosh, Additional Government Pleader.

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O R D E R

The petitioner has applied to the jurisdictional authority for 1/6

2 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 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.

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 2/6

3 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 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 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. 3/6

4 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 (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. No person shall put up fencing without decree from the civil Court if there is objection.

(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.

04.04.2024 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No PMU 4/6

5 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 To:

The Tahsildar, Thirumayam Taluk, Pudukottai District.

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6 W.P.(MD)NO.8582 OF 2024 G.R.SWAMINATHAN,J.

PMU W.P.(MD)No.8582 of 2024 04.04.2024 6/6