Koushik Mandal v. The State Of West Bengal And ORS.
IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
CONSTITUTIONAL WRIT JURISDICTION APPELLATE SIDE 04.12.2024 Ct. no.2 Sl. No. 9 Moumita WPA 19590 of 2024 Koshik Mandal Vs.
The State of West Bengal & Ors.
Mr. Atis Kumar Biswas Mr. Amit Singh ....for the Petitioner Mr. Rajarshi Basu Mr. S.T. Mina ....for state Affidavit-of-service, filed in Court today, is taken on record.
Mr. Atis Kumar Biswas, learned advocate appears for the petitioner.
Mr. Rajarshi Basu, learned state counsel with Mr. S.T. Mina, learned counsel appears for the state.
None appears for the private respondents.
The petitioner complains of an alleged encroachment and unauthorized construction on the PWD land at the behest of the private respondents. The petitioners submitted two representations both dated 12th July, 2024, annexure P-3 at page-18 to the writ petition, but the same has not yet been dealt with.
In view of the above, the jurisdictional Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (B.L. & L.R.O) upon prior notice to the petitioner and the private respondents shall cause a physical inspection of the alleged encroachment and construction and
shall submit his report before the petitioner, private respondents and the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD. This exercise shall be carried out and completed by the jurisdictional B.L. & L.R.O. positively within a period of four weeks from the date of communication of this order. In the event such report confirms the alleged encroachment and construction on the PWD land then the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD after issuing a prior hearing notice of at least seven days to the petitioner and the private respondents and after giving them an opportunity of hearing shall decide the said representation dated July 12, 2024 as referred to above by passing a reasoned order in accordance with law.
The entire exercise shall be carried out and completed by the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD positively within a period of six weeks from the date of receiving report from the jurisdictional B.L. & L.R.O. The reasoned order shall be communicated to the petitioner and the private respondents positively within a period of two weeks from the date of the said reasoned order to be passed. It is made clear that this Court has not gone into the merits of the case of the petitioner or the private respondents and they shall be at liberty to urge whatever points they wish to urge by relying upon whatever records and documents they wish to rely upon before the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD.
In the event, the reasoned order confirms the alleged unauthorized construction and encroachment, the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD shall communicate
the order to the jurisdictional Sub-Divisional Officer positively within a period of three weeks from the date of the said reasoned order to be passed, who shall take all necessary and consequential steps to give an immediate effect to the said reasoned order in accordance with law positively within four weeks from the date of receiving the reasoned order from the Assistant Engineer, PWD. This order shall not create any right or equity in favour of the petitioner and in favour of the private respondents, if they do not succeed to their respective claims before the jurisdictional Assistant Engineer, PWD strictly in accordance with law.
Since affidavits are not called for, the allegations made in this writ petition are deemed not to have been admitted by the respondents.
With the above observations and directions, this writ petition, WPA 19590 of 2024 stands disposed of, without any order as to costs.
Photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be furnished expeditiously.
(Aniruddha Roy, J.)