IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
S.M. SUBRAMANIAM, J.
Vellore Institute of Technology, (Deemed University), Represented by its Chancellor - Petitioner
Versus
The Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu, Revenue Department, Secretariat, Fort St.George & Ors. - Respondents
W.P.No.23619 of 2005 and WPMP.Nos.1733 to 1735 of 2005
Decided On : 31-01-2019
Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act 1905 - Constitution of India - Article 226 - Seeking assignment of the Government land - Rejection of claim of the writ petitioner - Whether the present writ petition can be entertained or not - Learned Senior Counsel for writ petitioner at first instance emphatically clarified that writ petitioner is not an encroacher and writ petitioner has no intention to encroach Government land. writ petitioner is one of a reputed institution and students from various States and from other Countries are studying – Thus writ petitioner institution has no such intention at all to encroach upon the public land as they are law abiding citizen - In this context, this Court is of an opinion that whether the writ petitioner institution has got any legal right to claim assignment of Governance land and in this regard, whether the present writ petition can be entertained or not – Held, First respondent is directed to review all such assignments/allotments of Government lands, water bodies and water resources already made in favor of private institutions/individuals across State including the writ petitioner in respect of the assignment of the land to an extent of 98.80 acres and identify all such assignments which all are volatile of Revenue Board Standing Orders, violations of conditions imposed, violations of Government orders and policies etc. If any irregularities or illegalities are identified in respect of those assignments/allotments of Government lands water bodies and water resources, suitable actions are to be initiated to cancel all such illegal or irregular assignments and restore public property in favor of Government and utilize same for the welfare of the public and to implement public schemes by following the procedures contemplated - First respondent is directed to issue suitable circulars/instructions to all District Collectors concerned to verify and review all assignments already granted in favor of private individuals, private institutions etc., and submit the report to Government, based on which first respondent shall initiate all further actions by following the procedures contemplated under law - Respondents 1 and 2 are directed to ensure that encroachments in respect of land in question in present writ petition are also removed by respondent by following procedures contemplated under Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act 1905, enabling respondent to implement public welfare scheme of construction of multipurpose sports stadium for benefit of the people at large – Petition closed
ORDER :
Prayer: Writ Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the first respondent comprised in its order under Ref. Letter No.28961/Ni.Mu5(1)/2005-3 dated 19.07.2005 and quash the same and consequently direct the first respondent to positively exercise its power of assignment of the lands admeasuring 41.92 acres in Survey Nos.557,771,772/1,772/3,773,774/1,774/3,775/1,775/3m,776/1B,776/3,777/1,777/3,778/1 and 778/3 at Katpadi village, Vellore district to and in favour of the petitioner for the reasons stated in the petitioner's several representations including its representation dated 08.06.2005.
The rejection of the claim of the writ petitioner seeking assignment of the Government land to a larger extent in proceeding dated 19.07.2005 is sought to be quashed in the present writ petition. The consequential direction is sought for to direct the first respondent to positively exercise its power of assignment of the lands admeasuring 41.92 acres in Survey Nos.557,771,772/1,772/3,773,774/1,774/3,775/1,775/3m,776/1B,776/3,777/1,777/3,778/1 and 778/3 at Katpadi village, Vellore district to and in favour of the petitioner for the reasons stated in the petitioner's representations including its representation dated 08.06.2005.
2. The Pro-Chancellor of the writ petitioner / University has filed the present writ petition. The order impugned dated 19.07.2005 issued by the Principal Secretary to Government, Revenue Department, states that the land in question is the Government Poramboke land and the claim of the writ petitioner was considered pursuant to the directions issued by this Court in WP.Nos.18094 and 18095 of 2005 dated 31.05.2005. A decision was taken declining the claim of the writ petitioner's on the ground that, the land belongs to the Government classified as Poramboke had already been handed over to the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for the purpose of the benefit of the public at large and in order to encourage the sports developments in the State through the Sports Development Authority.
3. The order impugned states that the Government poramboke land measuring 41.92 acres are required for the purpose of construction of multipurpose sports stadium to developed by the Sports Authority of Tamil Nadu. Thus, the assignments sought for by the writ petitioner in respect of the said land cannot be granted and the Governance rejected the claim. The learned Senior Counsel for the writ petitioner at the first instance emphatically clarified that the writ petitioner is not an encroacher and the writ petitioner has no intention to encroach the Government land. The writ petitioner is one of a reputed institution and students from various States and from other Countries are studying. Thus, the writ petitioner institution has no such intention at all to encroach upon the public land as they are law abiding citizen. In this context, this Court is of an opinion that whether the writ petitioner institution has got any legal right to claim assignment of the Governance land and in this regard, whether the present writ petition can be entertained or not.
Pleadings of the Writ Petitioner:
4. The writ petitioner University is a deemed University of international repute was founded as a self financing institution known as Vellore Engineering College (VEC) in the year 1984, by the North Arcot Educational and Charitable Trust, headed by Sr.G.Viswanathan, who is a former parliamentarian, Minister and an educationalist. Ever since its inception, the writ petitioner/University has been in possession of the lands in question as well as other parcels of land in its immediate vicinity. In so far as the adjacent lands admeasuring about 150 acres are concerned, the first respondent had already taken a decision to assign and handover the said lands in favour of the petitioner/University. The implementation of the said decision, an extent of approximat
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