A.R.MEENAKSHI Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners have come up with the above writ petitions, challenging an order passed by the District Collector, Chennai, holding that certain lands in question are classified as Government Poramboke and as Pattina Natham and that therefore, the petitioners are not entitled to any compensation for eviction from those lands.

(2.) I have heard Mr.M.S.Subramanian, learned counsel for the petitioners, Mr.S. Gomathinayagam, learned Additional Advocate General, assisted by Mr.N.Srinivasan, learned Additional Government Pleader for respondents 1 to 3 and Mr.V. Bharathidhasan, learned Standing Counsel for the fourth respondent.

(3.) The petitioners, in these writ petitions, were in occupation of various extents of lands in T.S.Nos.145/2, 150/2, 157/2, 158/2, 159/2 and 160/2, in Block No.52, Konnur Village, Purasaiwakkam-Perambur Taluk, Chennai District. The petitioners had also put up superstructures on those lands and were residing in the properties for over several decades, claiming that their predecessors-in-title, had purchased the lands from a Government Servants' Cooperative Society. The petitioners were served with notices under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905, on 27.6.2008, on the ground that they were in occupation of Government Poramboke lands and that these lands were required for the formation of a Railway Subway Project. The petitioners submitted replies through their counsel on 17.7.2008 and came up with a batch of writ petitions in W.P.Nos.18311 to 18316 of 2008. Since the writ petitions were classified under the heading "encroachment", the writ petitions were listed before a Division Bench of this Court. By a short order dated 13.10.2008, the writ petitions were disposed of with a direction. The brief order of the Division Bench, disposing of the writ petitions, reads as follows:-