Gopal Shaw And ANR v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

November 24, 2022 ARDR (23) WPA 8593 of 2022 Gopal Shaw & anr.

Vs.

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Adv. Anil Kumar Chattopadhyay, ...for the petitioners.

Adv. Pantu Deb Roy, Adv. Anand Farmania, ...for the State.

Affidavit of service filed by the petitioners is taken on record.

The petitioners claim to have been occupying a portion of Khas Mahal land/Government property for more than 12 years and complain that though the proceeding for long term settlement of the plot in their favour has been initiated by the Government, the same has not been concluded till date.

Learned counsel for the petitioners takes this Court to a letter issued by the Additional District Magistrate and District Land & Land Reforms Officer, South 24 Parganas to the Additional Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, Land and Land Reforms and Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department on 23rd September, 2021 for taking necessary steps in this matter. Learned counsel submits that no further step has been taken by the authority. The petitioners pray for a direction upon the 2nd respondent to deal with the letter dated 23rd September, 2021 and communicate the decision taken therein to the petitioners within a stipulated time frame.

Upon consideration of the submission made on behalf of the parties, the writ petition is disposed of directing the 2nd respondent to act in terms of the letter issued by the Additional District Magistrate and District Land & Land Reforms Officer, South 24 Parganas on 23rd September, 2021 and take the proceeding to its logical conclusion upon granting reasonable opportunity of hearing to all the interested persons including the petitioners, in accordance with law, within a month from the date of communication of this order.

The decision taken by the authority shall be communicated to the petitioners within a week thereof. With such observations and directions, the writ petition being WPA 8593 of 2022 is disposed of. There shall however, be no order as to costs. Since no affidavit is invited, the allegations contained in the petitions are deemed not to be admitted. Urgent certified website copy of this order, if applied for, be furnished to the parties upon compliance of necessary formalities.

(Suvra Ghosh, J)