Gandhi v. The Tahsildar
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 06.01.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE N.MALA Gandhi ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Tahsildar, Singampunari Taluk, Singampunari, Sivagangai District.
2.The Surveyor, Head Surveyor Office, Singampunari, Sivagangai District.
3.The Inspector of Police, Ulakampatti Police Station, Sivagangai Taluk.
... Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to survey and demarcate the petitioner's property comprised in S.No.195/7B admeasuring to an extent of 006.5 Ares, situated at Kilavayal Village, Singampunari Taluk, Sivagangai District, by considering the petitioner's representation, dated 01.07.2023, in accordance with law, within the time stipulated by this Court. 1/7
For Petitioner : Mr.KR.Bharathi Kannan For R1 & R2 : Mr.M.Muthumanikkam Government Advocate For R3 : Mr.M.Gnanasekaran Government Advocate
O R D E R
The writ petition has been filed for a direction to the respondents to survey and demarcate the petitioner's property comprised in S.No.195/7B, to an extent of 006.5 Ares, at Kilavayal Village, Singampunari Taluk, Sivagangai District, by considering the petitioner's representation, dated 01.07.2023, in accordance with law, within the time frame stipulated by this Court.
2. The subject property in S.No.195/7B, to an extent of 006.5 Ares, at Kilavayal Village, Singampunari Taluk, Sivagangai District, originally belonged to the petitioner's father. The petitioner's father was issued patta in Patta No.417. The petitioner's father died on 02.07.2018, leaving behind the petitioner, his mother and his two sisters as legal heirs. According to the petitioner, after the death of his father, the property was enjoyed by him as his two sisters got married and settled in their matrimonial home in different villages. The petitioner in order to build a house in the said property wanted to survey and demarcate the property and fix the boundaries for the same. The petitioner therefore made an online application on 16.06.2023, along with 2/7
necessary fee but no action was taken by the respondents. The petitioner submitted a representation on 01.07.2023, to the respondents and even thereafter, as no action was taken on the petitioner's representation, the petitioner filed the above writ petition for the aforesaid relief.
3. With the consent of both learned counsels, this writ petition is taken for final disposal. If any person is aggrieved by this order, it is open to them 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. This Court in W.P(MD)No.12676 of 2024, dated 14.06.2024 issued certain directions for considering the application for survey and fixing of boundary. Following the said order, the following directions are issued: (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. Patta need not be in the name of the applicant. If patta is in the name of the vendor and mutation has not been effected, still the application can be considered.
(II) The petitioner will have to enclose all the relevant documents such as patta. The applicant must have individual patta in his / 3/7
her name. If he / she is having joint patta, co-pattadars must give 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.
(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. 4/7
(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. If the petitioner wants to put up fencing and if there is any objection from any private party, fencing can be put up only after the petitioner obtains decree from the jurisdictional Civil Court. (X) The survey authority will conclude the entire exercise one way or the other within a period of 12 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.
5. With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition stands disposed of. No costs.
06.01.2025 NCC:yes/no Index:yes/no Internet:yes/no SN 5/7
To:
1.The Tahsildar, Singampunari Taluk, Singampunari, Sivagangai District.
2.The Surveyor, Head Surveyor Office, Singampunari, Sivagangai District.
3.The Inspector of Police, Ulakampatti Police Station, Sivagangai Taluk.
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N.MALA, J.
SN 06.01.2025 7/7