High Court · 2007

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS(SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDCTION)WEDNESDAY, THE SIXTH DAY OF JUNETWO THOUSAND AND SEVENPRESENTTHE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE P.D.DINAKARANANDTHE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE P.P.S.JANARTHANA RAJAW.P.Nos.36058 to 36061/03, 36595, 37129 to 37133, 35261, 35299to 35313, 36258 to 36262 of 2003, 772 to 808, 1262 to 1266,3116 to 3120, 3190 to 3194, 4660, 9527, 13532 to 13534,31589, 31590, 32961 and 32962 of 2004, 3426, 3427, 26606 to 26619 and 27336 of 2005The Union of India owning Southern Railwayrep. by its General ManagerPark Town, Chennai-3...PetitionerW.P.Nos.36058 to 36061,36595, 37129 to 37133,35261, 35299 to 35313, 36258to 36262 of 2003, 772 to808, 1262 to 1266,3116 to3120, 3190 to 3194, 4660,9527, 13532 to 13534,31589,31590, 32961, 32962 of 2004,3426, 3427, 26606 to 26619,27336 of 2005Vs.1. The Principal District Judge Vellore District, Vellore.... Ist Respondent inW.P.Nos.36058 to 36061, 36595,37129 to 37133, 35261, 35299 to35313, 36258 to 36262 of 2003,772 to 808, 1262 to 1266, 3116to 3120, 3190 to 3194, 4660,9527, 13532 to 13534, 31589,31590, 32961, 32962 of 2004,3426, 3427, 26606 to 26619,27336 of 2005 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ Amirtham... 2nd Respondent in W.P.NO.36058/03Pichandi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36059/03, 36595/03Varadhan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36060/03Pachaiammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36061/03Venkatrayalu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.37129/03Dhanasekaran... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.37130/03Mani... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.37131/03Ammasi ammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.37132/03Shanthi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.37133/03Sheela... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35261/03Jaithumbi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35299/03Kalaiselvam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35300/03Saraswathi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35301/03Raju... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35302/03Kumar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35303/03Rajamani@Rojamani... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35304/03Kalaiselvam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35305/03Gunasekar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35306/03Devaki... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35307/03Thangavelu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35308/03Valliammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35309/03Gunasekaran... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35310/03 and 35313/03Murugesan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35311/03Chandran... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.35312/03Mani S/o.Ponnusamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36258/03T. Subramani... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36259/03S/o. ThangaveluManiS/o. Gopal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36260/03Kantha @ Santhakumari... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36261/03Lorudusamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.36262/03MurugesanS/o. Poongavanam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.772/04Sundaramurthy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.773/04 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ Narayanasamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.774/04Mohan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.775/04Ismail @ Babu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.776/04Arumugam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.777/04K. Kuppusamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.778/04Papammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.779/04Packianathan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.780/04Elumalai... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.781/04Govindasamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.782/04Kumar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.783/04Yogananda... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.784/04Vijaya... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.785/04Kamalam Ammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.786/04A.K. Subramani... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.787/04Dhanalakshmi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.788/04Kannan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.789/04Sundaram... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.790/04Dayalan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.791/04Lakshmi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.792/04Sudha... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.793/04Chinnathambi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.794/04Suseela... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.795/04Sivakami... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.796/04K. Ramadass... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.797/04Abdul Rahim... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.798/04Sivakumar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.799/04Jayaraman... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.800/04Elumalai... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.801/04Natarajan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.802/04Jayalakshmi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.803/04Perumal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.804/04Gunasekar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.805/04Kandasamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.806/04Raja... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.807/04Manivannan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.808/04Durai Arasan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.1262/04Rajendran... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.1263/04Parvathi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.1264/04Durai... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.1265/04Raju... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.1266/04Kamatchi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3116/04Mahendran... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3117/04Ravi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3118/04Rajeswari... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3119/04V.R. Alamelu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3120/04Paramasivam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3190/04R. Govindaraj... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3191/04Elumalai... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3192/04Lakshmi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3193/04 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ Vellaisi Ammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3194/04Varadhan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.4660/04Elumalai... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.9527/04Poonkavanam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.13532/04Varadhan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.13533/04Lakshmi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.13534/04Sekar... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.31589/04Gopal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.31590/04Santhi... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.32961/04Paravathamma... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.32962/04Thanunisha... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3426/05Sarasu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.3427/05Venugopal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26606/05Pakiyam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26607/05Selvam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26608/05Jainabee... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26609/05Vasantha... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26610/05Athi Ammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26611/05C. Natarajan... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26612/05Kannayiram... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26613/05Thangam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26614/05Anthoni... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26615/05Swamikannu... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26616/05Thangam... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26617/05Ramamurthy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26618/05Kasiammal... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.26619/05Munusamy... 2nd Respondent inW.P.NO.27336/05 Estate Officer Divisional Railway Manager's Office Works Branch, Southern Railway Trichy... 3rd RespondentsW.P.Nos.36058 to 36061, 36595,37129 to 37133, 35261, 35299 to35313, 36258 to 36262 of 2003,772 to 808, 1262 to 1266, 3116to 3120, 3190 to 3194, 4660,9527, 13532 to 13534, 31589,31590, 32961, 32962 of 2004,3426, 3427, 26606 to 26619,27336 of 2005Petitions under Article 226 f the Constitution of Indiapraying that in the circumstances stated therein and in therespective affidavits filed in support thereof the High Courtwill be pleased to issue writs of certiorarified Mandamus callingfor the entire records of the first respondent under the (PPE) in https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ Civil Miscellaneous Appeal Nos. 15/99, 12/99, 6/99. 3/99. 10/99,9/99, 4/99, 2/99, 8/99, 5/99, 1/99, 14/99, 35/99, 41/99, 36/99,39/99, 11/99, 32/99, 42/99, 40/99, 33/99, 47/99, 44/99, 37/99,43/99, 50/99, 46/99, 31/99, 45/99, 48/99, 49/99, 38/99, 55/99,53/99, 54/99, 56/99, 59/99, 51/99, 57/99, 52/99, 34/99, 58/99,and 60/99, respectively including the order and decree dated31.8.2001 and quash the same and direct the 2nd respondent tovacate and handover possession of the property encroached by the2nd respondent to the Railway Administration. (W.P.Nos.36058,36059, 35301, 35306, 35307, 35308, 35309, 35310, 35311, 35312,35313, and 36261 of 2003 772/04, 773, 778, 779, 780, 783, 784,785, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799,800, 801, 804, 808, 1264, 3119, 3192 and 3193 of 2004 and26610/05, 26618/05 and 27336/05II. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal Nos. 70/99, 72/99, 67/99,71/99, 66/99, 65/99, 63/99, 74/99, 76/99, 75/99, 61/99, 62/99,69/99, and 73/99, including the order and decree dated 20.11.01and quash the same and direct the 2nd respondent to vacate andhandover possession of the property encroached by the 2ndrespondent to the Railway Administration. (W.P.Nos.36060, 36061, 36595, 37129, 37131, 37132, 35300, 35302,35303, 35304, 35305, 36258, 35299 and 36262 of 2003.III Civil miscellaneous Appeal Nos. 19/99, 16/99, 17/99,18/99, 23/99, 30/99, 20/99, 21/99, 26/99, 29/99, 24/99, 25/99,68/99, 28/99, 27/99, AND 22/99, including the order and decreedated 20.9.2001 and quash the same and direct the 2nd respondentto vacate and handover possession of the property encroached bythe 2nd respondent to the Railway Administration (W.P.Nos.37130,37133, 36259, 36260/03, 774, 775, 776, 777, 781, 782, 786, 787, of2004, 26609, 26611/05, 26612/05, 26613/05.IV. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal Nos. 64/99, 85/99, 86/99,77/99, 90/99, 78/99, 88/99, 84/99, 80/99, 81/99, 89/99, 82/99, and79/99, including the order and decree dated 18.12.2001 and quashthe same and direct the 2nd respondent to vacate and handoverpossession of the property encroached by the 2nd respondent to theRailway Administration.(W.P.Nos.35261/03, 802/04, 803/04, 806/04, 807/04 3116/04,3117/04, 3120/04, 3190/04, 4660/04, 26614/05, 26616/05 and26619/05.V. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No.99/99, 104/99, 98/99, 91/99,93/99, 95/99, 94/99, 97/99, 102/99, 101/99, 105/99, and 100/99,including the order and decree dated 25.1.2002 and quash the sameand direct the 2nd respondent to vacate and handover possession ofthe property encroached by the 2nd respondent to the RailwayAdministration. (W.P.Nos.805/04, 1262/04, 1263/04, 1265/04, https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 1266/04, 3118/04, 3191/04, 3194/04, 13534/04, 26608/05, 26615/05and 26617/05.VI. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal Nos.122/99, 111/99, 106/99,1/2000, 117/99, 112/99, 2/ 2000, 121/99, 110/99, 107/99, 113/99,respectively including the order and decree dated 15.2.2002 andquash the same and direct the 2nd respondent to vacate andhandover possession of the property encroached by the 2ndrespondent to the Railway Administration. (W.P.Nos.9527/04,13532/04, 13533/04, 31589/04, 31590/04, 32961/04, 32962/04,3426/05, 3427/05, 26606/05 and 26607/05.ORDER:- These Petitions coming on for hearing on this dayupon perusing the petitions and the respective affidavits filed insupport thereof and upon hearing the arguments of Mr.V.G. SureshKumar, Advocate for the Petitioner in all the Petitions and theRespondents in each of the Petitions not appearing in person or bythe Advocate the Court made the following order:-COMMON ORDER(Made by P.D.DINAKARAN,J.)The above writ petitions are directed against the order ofthe appellate authority setting aside the order of eviction passedby the Estate Officer, evicting the contestingrespondents/encroachers, who are about 125 in number, from thepublic premises of an extent of 3.36 acres located in SurveyNo.722/2, Ward 5, Block 16, Vellore District, on the ground thatthe Estate Officer had not followed the procedure prescribed underthe Act viz.,(i) Notice under Section 4 of the Act;(ii)Recording of evidence that may be produced in supportof the notice;(iii)Giving reasonable opportunity to the unauthorisedoccupant to represent the case;(iv)the authority must be satisfied that the publicpremises is unauthorisedly occupied;(v)the authority afterwards has to make an order ofeviction;(vi)such an order of eviction must be supported by reasons;(vi)that order must direct the unauthorised occupier tovacate the premises on such date as may be specified inthat order; and(vii)the copy of the said order has to be affixed on theouter or in some other conspicuous part of publicpremises in question. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

2. The learned counsel for the appellant, challenging thefinding of the appellate authority that the Estate Officer had notfollowed the procedure prescribed under the Act as mentionedabove, invited our attention to the various provisions of the Actand placed before us the entire records for our perusal tosubstantiate that each and every procedure prescribed under theAct had been duly followed and complied with before passing theorder of eviction by the Estate Officer. 3. Unfortunately, there is no representation on behalf of thecontesting respondents/encroachers. Therefore, we are constrainedto wade through the entire file relating to the impugned order ofeviction as well as the order made by the appellate authority. 4.1. The appellate authority allowed the appeals, taking noteof the fact that the encroachers have not been given notice of thejoint inspection of the impugned public premises by the revenueauthorities of the State Government and the railway officials todecide whether the impugned public premises belongs to the railwayauthorities or not.4.2. It is also brought to our notice that during the jointinspection by the revenue authorities of the State Government andthe railway authorities on 4.5.1999, it was found that theimpugned property belong to Railways.4.3. When the State Government themselves conceded that theimpugned land belongs to the Railways, there is no need to issuenotice for the joint inspection to the encroachers, who have nosay in the matter of deciding as to whom the public premisesbelong to. Therefore, non issuance of notice to the encroachersfor joint inspection on 4.5.1999 would not, in any way, amount toviolation of principles of natural justice nor would vitiate theeviction proceedings, because the scope and purpose of the jointinspection is only to decide whether the impugned premises is aporamboke land that belongs to the State Government or a publicpremises belonging to the railway authorities, but not to decideany rights conferred on the encroachers. It is, therefore, notopen for the encroachers to contend that the Estate Officer has nojurisdiction to initiate the impugned eviction proceedings underthe provisions of the Act as though the property belongs to theState Government. We are, therefore, of the considered opinionthat the learned appellate authority had got himself misdirectedin holding that principles of natural justice were violated due tonon issuance of notice to the encroachers for joint inspectionheld on 4.5.1999 by the revenue authorities of the StateGovernment and the railway authorities. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

5.1. It is settled law that no person has right to encroach,by erecting any structure or otherwise, a place which is reservedor earmarked for public purpose and the public authorities areentitled to initiate action under the provisions of the Act toevict the unauthorised occupants.5.2. The Act was enacted to provide a speedy machinery foreviction of unauthorised occupants of public premises by way ofsummary eviction. Section 5 of the Act provides for eviction ofunauthorised occupation. Section 7 of the Act provides forrecovery of rent and damages in respect of public premises fromthe persons who had unauthorisedly occupied the same, byappointing Estate Officers, who have been given power, afternecessary enquiry to pass orders of eviction of such unauthorisedoccupants. The Estate Officer has also been given powers toremove and to order demolition of unauthorised constructions.Since the encroachment of the public premises are considered as apublic menace which are required to be discouraged in the largerpublic interest, as no one has got the right to occupy or encroachthe public premises, the Estate Officer is empowered to exercisehis power of enquiry by adopting a summary eviction proceedingsgiving notice within seven days to the respective occupants, whichis mandatory, not merely directory in character, as the failure tomake an effective reply to the notice may result in loss ofoccupation of the premises. 5.3. Longer the delay, the greater would be the danger ofpermitting the encroachers claiming semblance of right to obstructremoval of encroachment. As the legislature considers it in itswisdom that under the general law the eviction process is dilatoryand provides for other speedier procedure for evictingunauthorised occupants or sub tenants, it cannot be said that suchsummary eviction procedure is violative of any of the fundamentalrights much less Article 21 of the Constitution of India.Because, under the Scheme of the Act, a reasonable opportunity isprovided, which has been, in the instant case, duly complied withby issuing notice in Form A on 19.12.1997 and conducting enquiryon 21.1.1998 and thereafter, passing an order of eviction on3.6.1999 in Form B. 5.4. It is also pertinent to note that since a defence wasraised by seven representatives on behalf of the encroachers,during the personal hearing, that the public premises in questionbelongs to the State Government, a joint inspection was alsoconducted on 4.5.1999 by the revenue authorities of the StateGovernment and the railway authorities, which reads as follows:(as evident from the records)"4.5.1999 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ To:The Divisional Railway Manager Works BranchTrichy-1.Sub: Encroachment of Railway land @ Vellore (Indira Nagar) – Ref.KM.150/6-9.Ref: DRM/W/TPJ Letter No.T/W274/V/VM/VLR/ Vol I of 9.3.99. SE/P/VLR Letter No.VLR/14, dated 23.4.99Town Surveyor/Vellore letter No.Nil dated 28.4.99.With reference to the above it is stated that today wehave jointly inspected over KM.150/6-9, conducted theSurvey and ensured the Railway limits regarding the IndiraNagar, Ward No.5, Block No.16 and T.S.No.722/2 of VelloreCantt.And it is seen from the Survey that about 148 No's ofencroachments are existing in the above said T.S.No.722/2 @KM 150/6-9.Sd/-sd/-Village Administrative OfficerAssistant EngineerVellore Town SouthSrly., VillupuramVellore District."5.5. The above proceedings clearly belies the stand taken bythe encroachers that the premises in question belongs to the StateGovernment and therefore, the Estate Officer has no authority orjurisdiction to issue notice in Form A because the entire premisesat Survey No.722/2, Ward 5, Block 16, Vellore District, fallswithin the Railway limits.5.6. If that be so, we are unable to sustain the order of theappellate authority in arriving at a conclusion that the EstateOfficer has not followed the procedure, because, as rightlypointed out by the learned counsel for the petitioner, notice inForm A was issued on 19.12.1997 and enquiry was conducted,objections of seven representatives were considered, and in orderto appreciate the correctness of the stand taken by therepresentatives, a joint inspection was conducted by the revenueauthorities of the State Government and the Railway officials, https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ which revealed that the entire premises belong to railway andfinally an order of eviction in Form B was issued on 3.6.1999.Since there is no procedural lapses required to be followed in thesummary eviction proceedings under the Scheme of the Act, it maynot be proper for the appellate authority to jump to theconclusion that the Estate Officer had not followed the procedure.The very object of the Act enabling the Estate Officer to evictthe unauthorised occupants from the public premises by way ofsummary eviction proceedings is to protect the public property andto discourage the encroachments, as any further delay in evictingthe encroachers would be a great danger.5.7. Undoubtedly, it is not only the duty of the publicauthorities to ensure that the public premises are not encroached,but also it is the fundamental duty of every citizens not toencroach the public premises.In view of the reasons aforementioned, we find it difficultto sustain the orders of the appellate authority, and accordingly,the same are set aside and the writ petitions are allowed. Nocosts. Sd/-Asst. Registrar./true copy/Sub Asst. Registrar.kpl/sasiTo1. The Principal District Judge Vellore District, Vellore.2. The Estate Officer Divisional Railway Manager's Office Works Branch, Southern Railway Trichy.1 cc to Mr.V.G. Suresh Kumar, Advocate, Sr. 32399 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ Dated: 6.6.2007ORDER W.P.Nos.36058 to 36061, etcbatchAllowing the Petition to issuewrits of CertiorarifiedMandamus as stated within.BV (CO)kk 14/8