IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED :6.11.2008
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. CHANDRU
Writ Petition No.15029 of 1998
1.Tmt.D.Jahara Beevi
2.Thiru S.Mahaboob John
3.Thiru S.Subethar
4.Tmt.S.Fathima Beevi
5.Tmt.A.Gulab Jan Beevi
6.Tmt.A.Noor Jan Beevi
7.Tmt.J.Meera Jan Beevi
8.Tmt.B.Mumtaj Begum Beevi ... Petitioners
vs.
1.The State of Tamil Nadu,
rep.by Secretary to Government,
Transport Department,
Fort St.George, Chennai-9.
2.Thee Land Acquisition Officer cum
Assistant Collector,
Kovilpatti.
3.The Tamil Nadu State Transport
Corporation(formerly known as
Kattabomman Transport Corporation),
rep.by its Managing Director,
at Tirunelveli. ... Respondents
Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of writ of mandamus forbearing the respondents from pursuing with the acquisition proceedings as pr the notification issued under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act in G.O.Ms.No.87, Transport Department, dated 15.2.1977 and the declaration issued under Section 6(1) of the Land Acquisition Act in G.O.Ms.No.1449, Transport Department, dated 4.12.1983 relating to the lands of the petitioners comprised in S.F.No.220/1 measuring an extent of 1.04 acres in Kovilpatti Village, Kovilpatti Taluk, Tuticorin District (formerly known as Tirunelveli District).
For Petitioners : Mr.M.Venkatachalapathy,Sr.counsel
for Mr.S.Navaneethakrishnan
For Respondents : Mr.A.Arumugam,Spl.G.P. for R1 & R2
Ms.Kalaramesh for R3
O R D E R
Petitioners in this writ petition are land owners in Survey No.220/1 measuring to an extent of 1.04 acres in Kovilpatti Village, Tuticorin District. In this writ petition they seek to challenge the Notification issued under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act dated 15.2.1977 and declaration issued under Section 6(1) of the Act dated 4.12.1983 relating to their land.
2. In the affidavit it is stated that while the petitioners were in possession of the land, the 3rd respondent official came to take possession of the land without any authority. Therefore they filed the present writ petition in the year 1998, after a period of 22 years from the date of Section 4(1) Notification and 15 years from the date of Section 6 declaration. Excepting the bald averment in the affidavit that when the respondents came to take possession of the land, they were made to come to this Court, no other reference is given with respect to the action taken by the respondents in respect of either Section 4(1) Notification or the role played by them during the enquiy under Section 5-A of of the Act, subsequent to Section 6(1) declaration.
3. The entire writ petition was based upon the action taken by the neighbouring land owner by name one Kamatchi Ammal. The said land owner challenged the Section 6 declaration before this Court being W.P.No.796 of 1984 and the same was dismissed by this Court by judgment dated 14.2.1985. Subsequently, the writ appeal filed by the very same person, namely, W.A.No.189 of 1985, came to be heard by this Court and same was also dismissed on 16.4.1986.
4. At the time of disposal of the writ petition it was brought to the notice of this Court that the said land owner had also filed a suit before the District Munsif Court challenging the Section 4(1) Notification. This Court did not disturb the proceedings pending before the Civil Court, but however upheld the declaration under Section 6. It subsequently transpires that the said suit was decreed in A.S.No.135 of 1984 and Section 4(1) Notification issued by the State was set aside, as it was declared as illegal. It is also stated that the said land sought to be acquired from Kamatchi Ammal has been left intact.
5. It is submitted by Mrs.Kamala Ramesh-the learned counsel appearing for the 3rd respondent that as against the appeal suit, a second appeal was filed by the State and during the pendency of the second appeal, the said land owner had filed a memo stating that she will not execute the decree against the 3rd respondent. It is also brought to the notice of this Court by the learned counsel for the 3rd respondent that the land which are sought to be acquired had been handed over to the Transport Corporation by the Tahsildar with a Land Delivery Receipt. A copy of which has also been produced, which would show that subsequent to the award No.1/84, the acquired land has been handed over to the Manager of the Transport Corporation.
6. A counter affidavit also has been filed by the first and second respondents dated Nil. In the counter affidavit it is stated that Kamatchi Ammal had informed the Government that she wanted only higher compensation and not interested in taking back the land.
7. The 3rd respondent Corporation in their counter affidavit dated 1.9.1989 has taken a strong objection with respect to the maintainability of the writ petition long after the passing of the award. It is also stated that the petitioner cannot rely upon the civil Court decree obtained by Kamatchi Ammal and the entire compensation amount also has been deposited and it is because of the petitioners’ inability to produce proper proof of their legal heirship, the amount has not been distributed.
8. Mr.Venkatachalapathy, the learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioners stated that it would amount to discrimination as the Section 4(1) Notification stood quashed in respect of the land relating to Kamatchi Ammal, whereas the petitioners case has been dealt with separately. In this context he also placed reliance upon the judgment of the Supreme Court reported in (2005) 9 SUPREME COURT CASES 248 BEML EMPLOYEES HOUSE BUILDING COOPRATIVE SOCIETY LTD. V. STATE OF KARNATAKA AND OTHERS and submitted that in the said judgment the Supreme Court held that in the matter of acquisition the State cannot discriminate between two individuals.
9. In the judgment referred to by the learned counsel for the petitioners, during acquisition proceedings, several exclusions were made and when the Employees’ Society sought for similar relief that was refused. The Supreme Court, unable to get the original record from the State and the State Government also unwilling to justify the discrimination, gave relief to the petitioner. It was not a case where the aggrieved land owners came to the Court after the result of some other land owners’ fight against the acquisition proceedings. The Courts have time and again held that belated challenge to the award proceedings cannot be entertained by the Court so as to render the entire acquisition Scheme unworkable. There is no case made out to interfere with the impugned award and the Notification issued by the State Government only on the strength of the decree obtained by Kamatchi Ammal, a neighbouring land owner. The writ petition is misconceived and accordingly dismissed. No costs.
Msk
To
1.The Secretary to Government,
Transport Department,
Fort St.George, Chennai-9.
2.Thee Land Acquisition Officer cum
Assistant Collector,
Kovilpatti.
3.The Managing Director
Tamil Nadu State Transport
Corporation(formerly known as
Kattabomman Transport,
at
Tirunelveli