JUDGMENT

(Prayer: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of certiorari calling for the records of the impugned notice dated 30.06.2023 issued to the petitioners by the third respondent under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 (Act III of 1905) and consequential impugned order dated 15.07.2023 passed against the petitioners by the second respondent under Section 6 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 (Act III of 1905) and quash the same.)

Common Order

Sanjay V. Gangapurwala, C.J.

1. We have heard Mr.S.D.Venkateswaran, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr.P.Muthukumar, learned State Government Pleader, assisted by Mrs.R.Anitha, learned Special Government Pleader for the respondents.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners were served with the notice under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905 (for short, “the Act of 1905”) on 03.07.2023. The petitioners were given 15 days time to file reply. The petitioners have filed the reply on 17.07.2023. However, on 15.07.2023, an order was passed by the second respondent without waiting for the reply of the petitioners