Murugan v. The Principal Secretary To Government

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 11.12.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE G.JAYACHANDRAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN Murugan ... Petitioner -vs1.The Principal Secretary to Government Housing & Urban Development Department St.George Fort Chennai-600 009 2.The District Collector Thoothukudi District Thoothukudi 3.The Assistant Director of Town & Country Planning Collectorate Campus Korampallam Thoothukudi-628 101

4.The Sub-Registrar Registration Department Keelur District Registrar Office Campus Thoothukudi-2 5.Velavan Properties Pvt. Ltd., rep.by its Director No.04, Balavinayagar Kovil Street Thoothukudi-628 002 ... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 3 to take appropriate action against the unapproved Madura Coats City situated in T.S.No.242-278 of Block No.2, Ward No.6, Thoothukudi developed by the 5th respondent and forbear him from selling the plots in Madura Coats City and further direct the 4th respondent not to register any sale deeds with regard to the plots in Madura Coats City.

For Petitioner :

Mr.C.T.Perumal For Respondents :

Mr.P.Thilakkumar Government Pleader for R1 to R4 Mr.J.Barathan for M/s.Ajmal Associates for R5

O R D E R

[Order of the Court was made by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.] One Murugan, claiming himself as a public interested person, has filed this writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 3 to take appropriate action against the unapproved Madura Coats City, situated in T.S.No.242-278 of Block No.2, Ward No.6, Thoothukudi, developed by the fifth respondent and to forbear him from selling the plots in Madura Coats City and further to direct the fourth respondent not to register any sale deed with regard to the plots in Madura Coats City.

2. Mr.P.Thilakkumar, learned Government Pleader, takes notice for the respondents 1 to 4 and Mr.J.Barathan, learned counsel, takes notice on behalf of M/s.Ajmal Associates for the fifth respondent.

3. The contentions of the petitioner are twofold. Firstly, according to the petitioner, the survey numbers mentioned in the writ petition are classified as "Government Poramboke" and the fifth respondent has no authority to alienate the property. Secondly, the proposed land for sale under the name of Madura Coats City falls within the Coastal Regulations Zone,

since the proposed site is 200 Meters away from the High Tide Line (HTL) and 500 Meters distance is mandated for any construction along the coastal from the High Title Line (HTL). The petitioner in fact appears to have made a representation to the third respondent by making objections regarding the proposed layout. Pursuant to the said representation, the third respondent inspected the site and informed one Alankara Barathar and five others, presumably promoters, that there should not be any alienation of the property without obtaining proper permission from the authorities concerned for promoting the land as a housing site and also a specific direction has been given to them that any advertisement for sale of the property should be removed.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner relying upon the chitta for T.S.Nos.242-278 submitted that the said land is classified as "Government Poramboke".

5. Learned counsel appearing for the fifth respondent submitted that the petitioner is a busybody and a blackmailer, who approached the fifth respondent and demanded a sizeable amount of money, failing which, he

threatened to prevent the development of the land. Since the fifth respondent refused to yield to it, the present writ petition is filed.

6. In fact, the property, which is proposed to be promoted, is a patta land of M/s.Madura Coats, which has become defunct and with them the fifth respondent has entered into an agreement for promoting the land. The proposal is at the very beginning stage and to just invite offer from the interested persons, a flex board has been placed for pre-booking the plots. The petitioner had given a complaint to the Rural Development Directorate. Pursuant to the said complaint, the fifth respondent has received a notice dated 18.11.2025 to stop the development activity for inviting offer before getting appropriate approval from the authorities. According to the fifth respondent, he has no intention to enter into any agreement before getting appropriate approval from all the authorities concerned.

7. From the chitta produced by the petitioner, we find that the subject land is classified as "Government Poramboke" and patta has been issued in the name of M/s.Madura Coats Limited and as far as promoting the subject land is concerned, it is only at beginning stage and there is a specific

instruction from the authorities concerned to the fifth respondent that there cannot be any transaction of the property as residential plots or otherwise, without getting approval from the authorities concerned. In the said circumstances, the petitioner herein cannot have any grievance more so, when the authorities concerned have taken cognizance of the petitioner's complaint and has restrained the fifth respondent from selling the property without appropriate permission.

8. For the foregoing reasons, this writ petition is dismissed. No costs.

[G.J., J.] [K.K.R.K., J.] 11.12.2025 NCC :

Yes / No Index :

Yes / No Internet :

Yes / No krk To:

1.The Principal Secretary to Government, Housing & Urban Development Department, St.George Fort, Chennai-600 009.

2.The District Collector, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi.

3.The Assistant Director of Town & Country Planning, Collectorate Campus, Korampallam, Thoothukudi-628 101.

4.The Sub-Registrar, Registration Department, Keelur, District Registrar Office Campus, Thoothukudi-2.

DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.

AND K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN, J.

krk 11.12.2025