V.MUTHUSAMY Vs. THE JOINT COMMISSIONER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed seeking a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 and 2 to retrieve the lands comprised in S. Nos. 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 553 and 554 situated at Vasudevanallur, Sivagiri Taluk, Tirunelveli District, belonging to Arulmigu Sankaranarayanar Thirukkovil from the respondents 3 to 17 and to conduct public auction to lease out the said lands as per the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act on the basis of the petitioner's representation dated 24. 07. 2014.

(2.) The learned Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is an agriculturist by profession and Arulmigu Sankaranarayanasamy temple is situated at Vasudevanallur, Sivagiri Taluk, Tirunelveli District and it comes under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The said temple owns 17 acres 62 cents of lands in S. Nos. 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 553 and 554 at Vasudevanallur, Sivagiri Taluk, Tirunelveli District. The said lands have been leased out to one Shakul Hameed and thereafter, the respondents 3 to 17 purchased the said lands from him through unregistered sale deeds and they are in possession of the said lands and cultivating paddy and other crops therein.

(3.) He further contended that the respondents 3 to 17 were paying meagre amounts to the temple for the past