IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 25.11.2025 Coram The Honourable Mr.Justice Krishnan Ramasamy and W.M.P.No.10586 of 2023

1 M.Ganesh B.Tech (DECEASED)

2 KALAIYARASI

3 PREETHI MOOGAMBIKA 4 SUHITHA MOOGAMBIKA

5 SEENITHAI (P2 TO P5 are substituted as lrs of the deceased P1 as per order dated 31.01.2025 in WMP.42009 of 2024, in this W.P.). ..Petitioners Vs.

1 The Chief Secretary Government of Puducherry, Puducherry.

2 Deputy Collector(Revenue)-Cum- Authorised Officer (Land Reforms) Karaikal, Government of Puducherry Karaikal.

..Respondents Prayer :-

Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for records of the 2nd respondent in No. MRI-112/DCR-AO(LR)/KKL/2023/ 164 Karaikal dated 23.02.2023 and quash the same and to direct the respondents to accept the proposal of depositing the GLR Value for the retention of the lands situated at R.S.No. 135/1 to an extent of 1H 53 Ares and 09 c.a in Thennangudy in Thirunallur Taluk, Karaikal (ii) or consider either by releasing or assigning or transferring on concession or on the price to be fixed for the land situated at R.S.No.135/1 to an extent of 1H 53 Ares and 09 c.a. in Thennangudy in Thirunallar Taluk, Karaikal, within a time frame stipulated by this Honble Court.

For Petitioners : Mr.V.Manohar For Respondents : Mr.R.Sreedhar Additional Government Pleader

ORDER

The challenge in this Writ Petition is to the order passed by the second respondent dated 23.02.2023 and to quash the same and to direct the respondents to accept the proposal of depositing GLR value for the retention of the lands situated at R.S.No.135/1 to an extent of 1H 53 Ares and 09 c.a in Thennangudy in Thirunallur Taluk, Karaikal (ii) or consider either by releasing or assigning or transferring on concession or on the price to be fixed for the aforesaid land within a time frame stipulated by this Court.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the land (morefully described in the prayer to this Writ Petition) was purchased by the petitioner under two registered sale deeds dated 19.10.2001 from one Jemila; that since the subject land falls under the category of 'Land Ceiling Proceedings’, the petitioner made a request for retention of the subject land against other lands held by petitioner's vendor's vendor, as, one M/s.H&R Johnson (India) Ltd., in a Writ Petition filed by their vendor- T.Ramanathan, in W.P.No.3641 of 2003 got impleaded as second petitioner and had offered another land as exchange for the retention of their land, and this Court vide order dated 14.08.2019 disposed of the said Writ Petition directing the petitioners therein to make a fresh application, pursuant to which, the Deputy Collector (Revenue) Cum Authorized Officer (Land Reforms) vide its letter dated 01.07.2019, fixed the Guideline Register Value (in short, GLR value) as Rs.70/- per sq.ft.; that therefore, the petitioner wanted the benefit of the said order to be extended to him as well, inasmuch as, the petitioner intends to utilize the land for establishish an Industrial Unit and made a representation in that regard to the respondents expressing his willingness to deposit the glr value of the subject land; that however, the second respondent refused to accept the same, by virtue of the impugned order dated 23.02.2023. Challenging the said order, the petitioner has filed the present Writ Petition.

2.1 It is the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner that in the year 1997, an industrial policy was issued by the Government of Puducherry, wherein, the petitioner's land was identified as industrial land. Therefore, it is contended that though by virtue of the Draft Statement issued by the Authorized Officer, dated 08.01.1980, the petitioner’s land falls under the category of ‘Excess Land’, subsequent to the issuance of Industrial Policy by the Government of Puducherry, the petitioner's land was identified as indu