No conversion fee required under Section 27A of Kerala Paddy Land Act for Form 6 applications, as per precedents.

JUDGMENT

This writ petition is filed with following prayers:

i. To issue a writ of Certiorari and call for the records related to Exhibit P5 and to quash the same.

ii. To issue a Writ of Mandamus order or other appropriate writ or direction directing the 1st respondent to consider and dispose Ext. P4 Form 6 Application filed under Section 27A of the Act which is numbered as 84/2024/7629000 dated 14.10.2024 without insisting / demanding conversion fee under Rule 12(9) of The Kerala Paddy Land And Wet Land Rules forth with.

iii. To issue any other writs order or direction which this Hon’ble Court may deem fit on the facts and circumstances of the case.

iv. Permit the petitioner to dispense with the filing of translations of the vernacular documents.

(SIC)

2. Petitioner is aggrieved by Ext.P5 noice issued by the 1^st respondent demanding conversion fee. The petitioner relied on the judgment of this Court inRevenue Divisional Officer v. Dr.A.V. Sajeev [ 2023 (5) KHC 242 ] and Sumesh U. v. Revenue Divisional Officer, Palakkad [2023 (3) KHC

431]. Hence this writ petition.

3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader.

4. There is no dispute to the fact that the point raised by the petitioner is covered in favour of the petitioner in Dr.A.V.Sajeev’s case (supra) and Sumesh U’s case (supra). If that is the case, the prayer in this writ petition can be allowed.

Therefore, this Writ Petition is disposed of in the following manner:

1. Ext.P5 is set aside.

2. The 1^st respondent is directed to process Ext.P4 Form-6 application, without insisting fee, if it is otherwise in order, as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment.