Muthuraj v. The Secretary
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 23.07.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.SARAVANAN W.P(MD) No.19782 of 2025 and W.M.P(MD) No.15220 of 2025 Muthuraj ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Secretary, District Legal Service Authority, District Court Campus, Karur District.
2.P.Murugesan 3.P.Palanisamy 4.P.Ilangovan 5.Lakshmi 6.Palaniammal 7.P.Kittammal 8.Sasikala 9.Sathishkumar 10.Manimegalai 11.Nandakumar 1/6
12.S.Kittan 13.P.Veerasamy 14.P.Palanisamy 15.P.Samuel
...Respondents
Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the 1st respondent herein, pertaining to the Lok Adalat Award in LAC.No. 151 of 2023 dated 13.05.2023 passed in OS.No.712 of 2023 before the Sub Court, Karur and quash the same as illegal and consequently directs the respondents herein to remove all consequential encumbrances. For Petitioner : Mr.Saravanan. M For R1 : Mr.V.Panneer Selvam Standing Counsel For R2 to R15 : Mr.Shanmuga Selvam
ORDER
This Writ Petition is disposed of at the time of admission after hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel for the first respondent and the learned counsel for the second respondent. 2/6
2. The petitioner claims to be a villager of Vellakovil, Thiruppur District. The petitioner has challged the impugned settlement memo on 13.05.2023, filed before the District Legal Services Authority, Karur, under Chapter VI of Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which was numbered as Lok Adalat Case No.151 of 2023. By the impugned order, dated 13.05.2023, the settlement between the respondent Nos.2 to 11 and the respondent Nos.12 to 15 herein in O.S.No.712 of 2022 has been arrived before the Lok Adalat.
3. The specific case of the petitioner appears to be that he is a villager and that the temple land has been usurped by the private respondents, claiming ownership through their ancestors. Specifically, the learned counsel for the petitioner draws attention to the extracts from the settlement register, which appear to indicate that the land in Survey No.394 in the aforesaid village has been classified as 'Madurai Veeran Temple' land. Hence, it is submitted that the impugned settlement memo, dated 13.05.2023, passed in Lok Adalat Case No. 151 of 2023, is liable to be quashed.
4. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the private respondents would submit that the challenge to the impugned settlement memo in Lok 3/6
Adalat Case No.151 of 2023 is not maintainable.
5. It is further submitted that the petitioner has no locus standi, and that the error arising out of the UDR exercise has already been specifically rectified by the Revenue Authority. In support of this submission, the learned counsel has produced a copy of the communication, dated 23.06.1986, issued by the Tahsildar, Karur, bearing reference Na.Ka.No.8109/86, wherein the mistake committed during the UDR exercise has been duly corrected, copy of the said communication is reproduced below:
6. Copy of the patta enclosed by the learned counsel for the private respondents, prima facie shows the name of the private respondents as the persons in possession of the land.
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7. Considering the above, I am of the view that no case has been made out for annulling the order passed in the settlement memo in Lok Adalat Case No. 151 of 2023 by the District Legal Services Authority under Chapter VI of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 in this petition. It is however open for the petitioner to initiate appropriate proceedings for declaring the settlement memo in Lok Adalat Case No.151 of 2023 as null and void before a civil Court.
8. With the above said liberty, this Writ Petition is dismissed. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. No costs. 23.07.2025 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No Indu 5/6
C.SARAVANAN, J.
Indu To The Secretary, District Legal Service Authority, District Court Campus, Karur District.
W.P(MD).No.19782 of 2025 23.07.2025 6/6