Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents.

2. The petitioner has stated that an extent of about 12 cents of agricultural land, in Survey No.34/1 of Menambedu Village, Ambattur Taluk, had been purchased by him by means of a sale deed, dated 11. 1959, vide Document No.3193/59, on the file of the Sub-Registrar, Sembium. The said property had been sold to the petitioner by one Murugappa Reddiar and his son, Munuswamy. From the date of its purchase, the land in question had been in the possession and enjoyment of the petitioner. However, it was learnt that the land in Survey No.34/1 of Menambedu Village , had been acquired by the third respondent, without issuing any notice to the petitioner. The petitioner had come to know about the acquisition only when the revenue officials inspected the land in the month of September, 2002. Thereafter, the petitioner had contacted the office of the third respondent to apply for the certified copies of the orders passed, under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1978, (Act 24 of 1978). After the receipt of the orders the pe