BEST READYMIX TRANSPORTERS Vs. DISTRICT COLLECTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is a partnership firm engaged in the business of supplying concrete mixture at construction sites. They own different vehicles for supplying the concrete mixture at sites.

(2.) They were also engaged as a contractor for the supply of ready mix at the site belonging to the third respondent. Their ready mix vehicles bearing registration Nos.KL-08 AM 5903, KL-08 AM 9492 and KL-08 AL 8662 used for concrete mixture and a tipper lorry bearing registration No.KL-08 AR 2172 for supplying the materials at the site of the third respondent were seized by the Special Deputy Tahsildar while conducting inspection. It is alleging that the vehicles were used for the activities of reclamation in a paddy land, the vehicles were seized. The paddy land belongs to the third respondent. As seen from the seizure mahazar, construction has been undertaken by the third respondent. The petitioner provided the service of the aforesaid vehicles for the purpose of concreting the structure already undertaken by the third respondent in the land.

(3.) The Collector initiated proceedings under Section 13 of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 (for short, the 'Act'). The vehicles were seized invoking Section 19 of the Act. After the seizure, the next procedure is confiscation of such vehicles in terms of Section 20 of the Act.