IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.NAGARESH
THURSDAY, THE 7TH DAY OF JULY 2022 / 16TH ASHADHA, 1944
WP(C) NO. 22133 OF 2022
PETITIONER:
BIJU.M
AGED 41 YEARS
S/O.A.MADHAVAN, AMBADI HOUSE, MUNDAKKODE,
PIRIVUSHALA,CHANDRANAGAR.P.O., PALAKKAD DIST.,
PIN -678007.
BY ADV CHITHRA S.BABU
RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT,
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695001.
2 LAND REVENUE COMMISSIONER,
COMMISSIONERATE OF LAND REVENUE, PUBLIC OFFICE BUILDING,
MUSEUM JN, THIRUVANTHAPURAM-695033.
3 DISTRICT COLLECTOR,
PALAKKAD, KENATHUPARAMBU,KUNATHURMEDU,PALAKKAD-678013.
4 REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER,
PALAKKAD, PARAKKUNNNAM, VIDYUT NAGAR, PALAKKAD-678001
5 LOCAL LEVEL MONITORING COMMITTEE,
(REPRESENTED BY ITS CONVENER AGRICULTURAL OFFICER)
KRISHIBHAVAN, KANNAMBRA-II, ALATHUR, PALAKKAD -678686.
6 AGRICULTURAL OFFICER,
KANNAMBRA-II,ALATHUR, PALAKKAD- 678686
SRI.SYAMANTHAK B S, GP
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON
07.07.2022, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
WP(C) NO.22133 OF 2022
2
JUDGMENT
Dated this the 7th day of July, 2022 The petitioner, who is owner of 4.20 Ares of property in Block No. 34 of Kannambra-II Village of Alathur Taluk in Palakkad District, has filed this writ petition seeking to direct the 4th respondent to consider Ext.P5 Form-6 application and to pass orders thereon, within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.
2. The petitioner states that he is owner in possession of 4.20 Ares of land comprised in Survey No.652/8 in Block No.34 of Kannambra-II Village of Alathur Taluk in Palakkad District. The land is garden land. It is not cultivated with paddy. It is not fit for paddy cultivation either. However, the land is described as paddy land in Revenue records.
3. The petitioner wants to use the land for other purposes. Hence, the petitioner filed Ext.P5 application in Form-6 before the Revenue Divisional Officer, invoking the WP(C) NO.22133 OF 2022 3 provisions of Rule 12(1) of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Rules, 2008. The application was filed on 04.07.2022. The application has not been considered so far. Unless the application is considered expeditiously, the petitioner will be put to untold hardship and loss, contends the petitioner.
4. The Government Pleader representing the respondents resisted the writ petition. The Government Pleader controverted all material allegations made by the petitioner, in the writ petition. The Government Pleader, however, submitted that since the petitioner has invoked a statutory remedy under the provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Rules, 2008, the application submitted by the petitioner can be considered by the competent authority in accordance with law, provided the application is received, is complete in all respects and is supported by all necessary documents.
5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader representing the respondents. WP(C) NO.22133 OF 2022 4
6. The property of the petitioner is said to be a dry land, but it has been described as paddy land, in Revenue records. Rule 12(1) of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Rules, 2008 provides for making applications for changing the nature of land in Revenue records. The petitioner has invoked the provisions of Rule 12(1) of the Rules, 2008 by filing application in Form-6. It being a statutory application, the Competent Authority is bound to consider the application and pass orders thereon within a reasonable time.
The writ petition is therefore disposed of with a direction to the 4th respondent-Revenue Divisional Officer to consider and pass orders on Ext.P5 Form-6 application, if the same is received supported by all requisite documents and paying prescribed fee, if any, and to pass orders thereon in accordance with law, within a period of three months.
sd/-
N.NAGARESH JUDGE hmh WP(C) NO.22133 OF 2022 5 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 22133/2022 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 A COPY OF THE DOCUMENT NO.1572/2020 DATED 26.08.2020 OF ALATHUR SRO.
Exhibit P2 A COPY OF THE TAX RECEIPT DATED 20.04.2022 ISSUED FROM KANNAMBRA-II VILLAGE OFFICE.
Exhibit P3 A COPY OF POSSESSION CERTIFICATE DATED 20.05.2022 ISSUED FROM KANNAMBRA-II VILLAGE OFFICE Exhibit P4 A COPY OF THE DECISION OF PALAKKAD RDO DATED 30.03.2022.
Exhibit P5 THE TRUE COPY FORM.6 APPLICATION FILED BY THE PETITIONER BEFORE THE 4TH RESPONDENT DATED 25.05.2022 Exhibit P5A A COPY OF THE FEE PAYMENT CHALLAN OF EXT.P5 FORM.6 APPLICATION DATED 24.05.22