Mrs.Razia Banu vs The Secretary

Citation : 2022 Latest Caselaw 15494 Mad
Judgement Date : 19 September, 2022

Madras High Court
Mrs.Razia Banu vs The Secretary on 19 September, 2022
                                                                                W.P.No.25419 of 2022

                                   IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

                                               DATED : 19.09.2022

                                                       CORAM

                                       THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE T.RAJA
                                                     AND
                                  THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.D.AUDIKESAVALU

                                               W.P.No.25419 of 2022

                     1. Mrs.Razia Banu
                     2. A.K.Shamshuddin
                     3. Mrs.Nasima Palanpurwala
                     4. Mrs.Vasantha Kumari
                     5. Mr.Mustafa Kesaria
                     6. Mrs.Rizwana Haji
                     7. Mr.Roopash Lakshman
                     8. Mrs.Razia Feroze Dhanaliwala           ..     Petitioners

                                                        -vs-

                     1. The Secretary
                        Housing and Urban Department
                        Fort St.George
                        Chennai 600 009

                     2. The Member Secretary
                        Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
                        No.8, Gandhi Irwin Road
                        Egmore, Chennai 600 008

                     3. The Commissioner
                        Corporation of Chennai
                        Rippon Buildings, Chennai 600 003      ..     Respondents

                     1/6


https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
                                                                                         W.P.No.25419 of 2022

                                  Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for
                     issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records in
                     Letter No.EC/N-1/2866/2021 dated 13.09.2022 passed by the 2nd
                     Respondent in relation to the property bearing Door No.10, Vasu Street,
                     Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010 on respective petitioners and quash the same and
                     direct the 2nd Respondent to conduct enquiry based on the records submitted
                     by the petitioner dated 24.05.2022 and 30.08.2022 and pass orders
                     accordingly.
                                        For Petitioners           ::    Mr.P.Subba Reddy

                                        For Respondents           ::    Mrs.M.Geetha Thamaraiselvan
                                                                        Special Government Pleader
                                                                        for R1
                                                                        Mr.C.N.Vinobha
                                                                        Standing Counsel for R2
                                                                        Mr.D.B.R.Prabhu
                                                                        Standing Counsel for R3

                                                             ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by T.RAJA, J.) The petitioners have filed the present writ petition challenging the de- occupation notice dated 13.09.2022 issued by the second respondent bearing Letter No.EC/N-1/2866/2021 in relation to the property bearing Door No.10, Vasu Street, Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010, quash the same with a consequential direction to the second respondent to conduct enquiry based 2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.25419 of 2022 on the records submitted by the petitioner dated 24.05.2022 and 30.08.2022.

2. Mrs.M.Geetha Thamaraiselvan, learned Special Government Pleader takes notice for 1st respondent, Mr. C.N.Vinobha, learned Standing Counsel takes notice for the 2nd respondent and Mr. D.B.R.Prabhu, learned Standing Counsel takes notice the 3rd respondent.

3. Mr.P.Subba Reddy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that though the planning permission was granted on 28.11.1992 vide Planning Permission No.B/Spl.Bldg/481/A-B/1992 by order No.B1/22539/92 to raise ground + 3 floors, the developer has put up ground + 4 floors and the same have also been completed before the cut-off date, i.e. 28.02.1999 and the petitioners are the owners of the flats in the fourth floor of the property in question. In support of his submission, he has also produced the tax receipt at page no.45 of the typed-set of documents. Again, placing reliance on the judgment of the Division Bench of this Court in Consumer Action Group Vs. State of Tamil Nadu reported in (2006) 4 CTC 483, he submitted that it has been held that applications for exemption 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.25419 of 2022 pertaining to constructions prior to the cut-off date, i.e. 28.02.1999 could be considered. Therefore, when the developer has even completed the 4th floor before the cut-off date, i.e. 28.02.1999 and has also made an application under Section 113-A of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act' for short), which is pending, the issuance of de-occupation notice to the petitioners is untenable. He has also submitted that as against the impugned notice, the petitioners have also filed special revision on 15.09.2022 under Section 80-A of the Act before the first respondent and during the pendency of the special revision, no coercive steps should be taken, otherwise the special revision would become infructuous.

4. We also find that the petitioners have to work out their remedy only in the special revision filed under Section 80-A of the Act, which is pending before the first respondent. Therefore, considering the fact that keeping the matter pending would unnecessarily cause delay in disposal of the special revision under Section 80-A of the Act pending before the first respondent, we hereby direct the first respondent to consider the pending special 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.25419 of 2022 revision and pass a reasoned order on merits and in accordance with law within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that till the aforesaid exercise is completed, status quo as on today shall be maintained. With the above direction, the writ petition stands disposed of. Consequently, W.M.P.No.24400 of 2022 is closed. However, there is no order as to costs.



                     Speaking/Non speaking order                   (T.R.,J.)     (P.D.A,J.)
                     Index : yes/no                                       19.09.2022
                     ss

                     To

                     1. The Secretary to Government

Housing and Urban Development Department Fort St.George Chennai 600 009

2. The Member Secretary Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority No.8, Gandhi Irwin Road Egmore Chennai 600 008

3. The Commissioner Greater Chennai Corporation Rippon Buildings Chennai 600 003 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.25419 of 2022 T.RAJA, J.

and P.D.AUDIKESAVALU, J.

ss W.P.No.25419 of 2022 19.09.2022 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis