The Court upholds adherence to statutory provisions for land usage and licensing relating to burial grounds.

ORDER

This writ petition has been filed to forbear the respondents from re-classifying the lands, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition from poramboke to burial ground.

2.The petitioner apprehends that the respondents in violation of Rule 7 of the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayats (Provision of burial and burning grounds) Rules, 1999 may grant licences for putting up of burial and burning grounds in the property, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition, which is currently classified as a poramboke land.

3.Mr.D.Ravichander, learned Special Government Pleader accepts notice on behalf of respondents 1 to 5. Mr.C.Jayaprakash, learned Government Advocate accepts notice on behalf of respondents 6 and 7.

4.Learned Special Government Pleader appearing for respondents 1 to 5 would submit that for the present, no party has approached the respondents for grant of licence for putting up of burial and burning grounds in the property, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition. He would also submit that if at all any party approaches for grant of licence for putting up of burial and burning grounds in the property, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition, the respondents shall necessarily follow the rules, i.e. the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayats (Provision of burial and burning grounds) Rules, 1999. 5.The instruction received by the learned Special Government Pleader appearing for respondents 1 to 5 that as on date no one has approached the respondents for putting up of burial or burning grounds in the property, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition is recorded.

6.It is made clear that as and when any request is made in the near future by any party for putting up of burial or burning grounds in the property, morefully disclosed in the prayer to this writ petition, the said request shall be considered by the respondents strictly by adhering to the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayats (Provision of burial and burning grounds) Rules, 1999 and the objections of the petitioner as raised in this writ petition will also have to be considered. With the above observation, this writ petition is disposed of.

No costs.