J U D G M E N T

The petitioner is an Association of the employees of the Khadi Board. They have approached this Court aggrieved by the decision of the Khadi Board to release an extent of 3 acres of land out of 3.77 acres of property situated in the Hand Made Paper Unit at Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta, to the Government for the purpose of a Government College. The Board's decision is produced as Ext.P6. The Board acquired a total extent of 5.035 acres of land (including the above 3.77 acres) in Elanthoor Village in Pathanamthitta District by virtue of Ext.P1.

2. The petitioner's case is that the Board is attempting to give away the land belonging to the Board on extraneous consideration. It is also submitted that the land is required for development of the activities of the Board and the decision taken to part away with the land, depriving the use of land for the development of the Khadi and Village Industries, is illegal and unsustainable. It is also argued that the Board's power to assign and to sell the immovable property is only if the Board is satisfied with the fact that they no longer require the land for the development of the Board.

3. It appears that the Board held a meeting wi