M. SWAMINATHAN Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners have come forward with this writ petition assailing the order dtd. 23/8/2021 passed by the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, (in short, "the Tribunal") in O.A. No. 125 of 2021.

(2.) The third respondent herein has filed O.A. No. 125 of 2021 before the Tribunal challenging the orders passed by the Government of Tamil Nadu viz., G.O. (Ms). No. 76 and G.O. (Ms). No. 77, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing [LD1(2)] Department, dtd. 28/2/2019 and G.O. (Ms). No. 329 dtd. 2/7/2020 alleging that a water body namely "Pudukulam Kanmoi" has been allotted to certain journalists as house sites. The Tribunal, after hearing the applicant/third respondent therein and the respondents/Government, disposed of the said application, by order dtd. 23/8/2021, the relevant passage of which is extracted below for ready reference:

(3.) (i) Mr. Ajmal Khan, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioners would submit that the Tribunal, without hearing the petitioners herein, who are beneficiaries of the allotment of house site, has passed the order dtd. 23/8/2021 impugned herein, which is in violation of the principles of natural justice. In fact, the petitioners have filed an application to implead themselves as parties to the aforesaid application viz., O.A. No. 125 of 2021, but it was rejected. Therefore, on this ground alone, the learned senior counsel sought to set aside the order impugned in this writ petition.