KHETSHI HIRJI SHAH Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) As common questions of fact and law are involved in the above captioned batch of petitions, they were all heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment and order.

(2.) It would be expedient to state that all writ petitions except the main writ petition being Writ Petition (PIL) No.19 of 2011 were before the respective learned Single Judge of this Court, but while hearing Writ Petition (PIL) No.19 of 2011, we noticed that the subject matter of all other writ petitions referred to above is the same and directly connected with the subject matter of Writ Petition (PIL) No.19 of 2011 and, therefore, with a view to avoid any conflicting judgment coming on record, we thought fit to hear the other petitions also together. Accordingly, all Special Civil Applications were clubbed and were heard with the main Writ Petition (PIL) No.19 of 2011.

(3.) The petitioner Khetshi Hirji Shah, a native of village Adhoi situated in Kutch District, and at present settled in Mumbai, by way of this Public Interest Litigation under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, has brought to the notice of this Court serious illegalities and irregularities at the end of the respondents, more particularly, Adhoi Gram Panchayat in dealing with and squandering away 100 acres of open land which was acquired by the State of Gujarat under the Land Acquisition Act for the purpose of rehabilitation of the earthquake victims.