BIJOYANANDA CHOWDHURY Vs. STATE OF ASSAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner claiming to be a public spirited person filed the writ petition, which has been registered as PIL No. 8/2001, for directing the respondent authorities to provide the daily basic amenities to the inmates of different jails in the State of Assam, which includes food, medicines etc. and also challenging the action of the State respondents in settling part of the land kept reserved for the Guwahati Jail, with the private respondents.

(2.) THE writ Petition (C) No. 4551/2006 has been filed by the Purbattor Udyog Handicraft Co-operative Societies Limited, respondent No. 12 in PIL No. 8/2001 and one of the settlement holders of the part of the land which was previously kept reserved for Guwahati Jail, challenging the order dated 30. 8. 2006 passed by the Addl. Chief Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Revenue Department, canceling the order of settlement made in their favour on 13. 9. 2005, basically on the ground of violation of the principles of natural justice. Since the question of settlement of land, originally kept reserved for Guwahati Jail, is the issue in the PIL No. 8/2001 and WP (C) No. 4551/2006, both the petitions are taken up together for hearing and disposal.

(3.) HEARD Mr. B. Chakravorty, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner in PIL No. 8/2001, Mr. N. Dutta, learned Senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner in WP (C) No. 4551/2006, who is also the respondent No. 12 in the PIL and Mrs. B. Goyal, learned State counsel appearing for the State respondents.