Maruvakkad Padasekhara Karshaka Union vs Fisheries Inspector
2025 Latest Caselaw 3501 Ker

Kerala High Court

Maruvakkad Padasekhara Karshaka Union vs Fisheries Inspector on 14 August, 2025

‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬


                                      ‭1‬         2025:KER:60842‬
                                                  ‭


            IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM‬
            ‭

                                   PRESENT‬
                                   ‭

  THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI‬
  ‭

                                        &‬
                                        ‭

           THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SYAM KUMAR V.M.‬
           ‭

                TH‬
                ‭
THURSDAY, THE 14‬
‭                   DAY OF AUGUST 2025 / 23RD SRAVANA,‬‭
                    ‭                                  1947‬

                           WA NO. 1418 OF 2021‬
                           ‭

            AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 22.10.2021 IN WP(C)‬
            ‭

              NO.929 OF 2021 OF HIGH COURT OF KERALA‬
              ‭

APPELLANTS/PETITIONERS:‬
‭

      1‬
      ‭        ‭ARUVAKKAD PADASEKHARA KARSHAKA UNION‬
               M
               REG NO.ER.42/75, MARUVAKKAD, CHELLANAM, P.O,‬
               ‭
               KOCHI-18, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRE+TARY K J JACOB,‬
               ‭
               AGED 64 YEARS, S/O JOSEPH, KAITHAVALAPPIL HOUSE,‬
               ‭
               CHELLANAM P.O, KOCHI-682008.‬
               ‭

      2‬
      ‭        ‭NTONY JOMON‬
               A
               AGED 36 YEARS‬
               ‭
               S/O JOB, ARIVEETTIL HOUSE, SOUTH CHELLANAM,‬
               ‭
               KOCHI-682008.‬
               ‭


               ‭Y ADVS.‬
               B
               SRI.N.N.SUGUNAPALAN (SR.)‬
               ‭
               SRI.S.SUJIN‬
               ‭



RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS:‬

‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

‭2‬ 2025:KER:60842‬ ‭

1‬ ‭ ‭ISHERIES INSPECTOR‬ F CHELLANAM, PIN-682008.‬ ‭

2‬ ‭ ‭EGIONAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES‬ R DR.SALIM ALI ROAD, ERNAKULAM-682018.‬ ‭

3‬ ‭ ‭ISTRICT COLLECTOR‬ D CIVIL STATION, KAKKANAD, ERNAKULAM-682030.‬ ‭

4‬ ‭ ‭HANTHU‬ C S/O MINNYAN, MANCHADIPPARAMBIL, CHELLANAM P.O,‬ ‭ MARUVAKKAD, KOCHI-682008.‬ ‭

5‬ ‭ ‭TATE OF KERALA‬ S REPRESENTED BY CHIEF SECRETARY, STATE SECRETARIAT,‬ ‭ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695001.‬ ‭

‭Y ADVS.‬ B GOVERNMENT PLEADER‬ ‭ SRI.S.RENJITH SPL.GP‬ ‭ SRI.LIJU.V.STEPHEN‬ ‭ SMT.INDU SUSAN JACOB‬ ‭ SHRI.K.P.JAYACHANDRAN, ADDL. ADVOCATE GENERAL‬ ‭

‭HIS‬ ‭ T WRIT‬ ‭APPEAL‬ ‭ HAVING‬ ‭ BEEN‬ ‭ FINALLY‬ ‭HEARD‬ ‭ ON‬ 11.08.2025,‬ ‭ ‭ ALONG‬ ‭ WITH‬ ‭ WP(C).20697/2023,‬ ‭ THE‬ ‭ COURT‬ ‭ ON‬ 14.08.2025 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:‬ ‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

‭3‬ 2025:KER:60842‬ ‭

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM‬ ‭

PRESENT‬ ‭

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI‬ ‭

&‬ ‭

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SYAM KUMAR V.M.‬ ‭

TH‬ ‭ THURSDAY, THE 14‬ ‭ DAY OF AUGUST 2025 / 23RD SRAVANA,‬‭ ‭ 1947‬

WP(C) NO. 20697 OF 2023‬ ‭

PETITIONER:‬ ‭

‭HELLANAM MARUVAKKAD PADASEKHARA KARSHAKODHARANA‬ C SAMITHI,REG. NO. EKM/TC/355/2018,‬ ‭ MARUVAKKAD, CHELLANAM, COCHIN -682008‬ ‭ REPRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT ANTONY,‬ ‭ AGED 68 YEARS, S/O ALBERT, KURISHINGAL (H),‬ ‭ MARUVAKKAD, NORTH CHELLANAM.P.O,‬ ‭ ERNAKULAM DISTRICT - 682008 .‬ ‭

BY ADV SMT.G.VIDYA‬ ‭

RESPONDENTS:‬ ‭

1‬ ‭ ‭ISTRICT COLLECTOR‬ D CIVIL STATION, KAKKANAD, ERNAKULAM,‬ ‭ PIN - 682030‬ ‭

2‬ ‭ ‭RINCIPAL AGRICULTURAL OFFICER‬ P ERNAKULAM DISTRICT, PIN - 682030‬ ‭

3‬ ‭ ‭EGIONAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES‬ R DR.SALIM ALI ROAD, ERNAKULAM- 68 20 18‬ ‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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4‬ ‭ ‭EVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER‬ R REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICE, FORT COCHIN,‬ ‭ PIN - 682001‬ ‭

5‬ ‭ ‭HE AGRICULTURAL OFFICER‬ T CHELLANAM, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT-682 008.‬ ‭

6‬ ‭ ‭ARUVAKKAD PADASEKHARA KARSHAKA UNION‬ M REG. NO. ER/75, CHELLANAM.P.0,‬ ‭ REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY K.J.JACOB,‬ ‭ S/O JOSEPH,KAITHAVALAPPIL (H),CHELLANAM.P.0,‬ ‭ ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682008‬ ‭

‭Y ADVS.‬ B SRI.S.RENJITH SPL. GP.‬ ‭ SRI.N.N.SUGUNAPALAN SR.‬ ‭ SRI.S.SUJIN‬ ‭ SMT.NITA.N.S.‬ ‭

‭HIS‬ ‭ T WRIT‬ ‭ PETITION‬ ‭ (CIVIL)‬ ‭ HAVING‬ ‭ BEEN‬ ‭ FINALLY‬ ‭ HEARD‬ ‭ ON‬ 11.08.2025,‬ ‭ ‭ ALONG‬ ‭WITH‬ ‭ WA.1418/2021,‬ ‭ THE‬ ‭ COURT‬ ‭ ON‬ 14.08.2025 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:‬ ‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭JUDGMENT‬

[WA No.1418/2021, W.P(C)No.20697/2023]‬ ‭

‭Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, J.‬

‭The‬ ‭present‬ ‭intra-court‬ ‭appeal‬ ‭filed‬‭under‬ ‭Section‬‭5‬ ‭of‬‭the‬

‭Kerala‬ ‭High‬ ‭Court‬ ‭Act,‬ ‭1958,‬ ‭arises‬ ‭out‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭judgment‬ ‭dated‬

‭22.10.2021‬ ‭passed‬ ‭in‬ ‭W.P(C)No.929‬ ‭of‬ ‭2021,‬ ‭whereby‬ ‭the‬ ‭learned‬

‭Single Judge had disposed of the writ petition.‬

‭2.‬ ‭The‬ ‭brief‬ ‭facts‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭are‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭appellants/‬

‭petitioners‬ ‭had‬ ‭challenged‬ ‭Ext.P4‬ ‭proceedings‬ ‭issued‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭3rd‬

‭respondent‬ ‭District‬ ‭Collector‬ ‭dated‬ ‭10.03.2020‬ ‭directing‬ ‭the‬

‭appellants/petitioners‬‭not‬‭to‬‭conduct‬ ‭auction‬‭of‬‭the‬‭fishing‬‭right‬

‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Padasekharam‬ ‭before‬ ‭31st‬ ‭October‬ ‭every‬ ‭year‬ ‭and‬ ‭not‬ ‭to‬ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭operate‬‭the‬‭sluice‬‭before‬‭15th‬‭November.‬‭The‬‭learned‬‭Single‬‭Judge‬

‭without interfering with the proceedings, disposed of the same.‬

‭3.‬‭Being‬‭aggrieved,‬‭the‬‭present‬‭writ‬‭appeal‬‭has‬‭been‬‭filed‬‭by‬

‭the‬ ‭appellants‬ ‭only‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭limited‬ ‭ground‬ ‭that‬ ‭condition‬ ‭No.1‬

‭mentioned‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭order‬ ‭dated‬ ‭10.03.2020‬ ‭that‬ ‭is‬ ‭"As‬ ‭per‬ ‭the‬

‭prevailing‬ ‭criteria‬ ‭steps‬ ‭for‬‭auctioning‬‭the‬ ‭chal‬‭can‬‭be‬ ‭taken‬‭only‬‭after‬

‭October,‬ ‭31st‬‭"‬ ‭is‬ ‭contrary‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭second‬ ‭line;‬ ‭ie,‬ ‭"If‬ ‭the‬ ‭auction‬

‭proceedings‬ ‭are‬‭conducted‬ ‭before‬‭October‬ ‭31st,‬‭fishing‬‭activities‬ ‭will‬ ‭be‬

‭strictly‬ ‭prohibited‬ ‭during‬ ‭the‬ ‭said‬ ‭period‬ ‭when‬ ‭paddy‬ ‭cultivation‬

‭activities‬‭are‬‭being‬‭carried‬‭out.‬‭"‬‭Rest‬‭of‬‭the‬‭conditions,‬‭viz;‬‭condition‬

‭numbers‬ ‭2‬ ‭to‬ ‭5‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭order‬ ‭dated‬ ‭10.03.2020‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭pressed‬ ‭or‬

‭challenged.‬ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭4.‬‭The‬‭learned‬‭counsel‬‭for‬‭the‬‭appellants‬‭contended‬‭that‬‭the‬

‭aforesaid‬‭condition‬ ‭creates‬‭a‬‭lot‬ ‭of‬‭problem‬ ‭for‬‭the‬ ‭appellants‬‭to‬

‭start‬ ‭the‬ ‭fishing‬ ‭activities‬ ‭on‬ ‭time‬ ‭when‬ ‭the‬ ‭paddy‬

‭cultivation/harvesting‬ ‭is‬ ‭over.‬ ‭The‬ ‭learned‬ ‭counsel‬ ‭further‬

‭submitted‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭auction‬ ‭is‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬‭conducted‬‭in‬‭July‬ ‭or‬‭August,‬

‭much‬ ‭earlier‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭commencement‬ ‭of‬ ‭fish‬ ‭culturing‬ ‭from‬ ‭1st‬

‭November.‬ ‭Otherwise‬ ‭nobody‬ ‭will‬ ‭be‬ ‭available‬ ‭to‬ ‭take‬ ‭the‬

‭contract.‬ ‭The‬ ‭learned‬ ‭Single‬ ‭Judge‬ ‭without‬ ‭considering‬ ‭the‬

‭grounds‬ ‭raised‬ ‭challenging‬ ‭Ext.P4‬ ‭order,‬ ‭disposed‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭writ‬

‭petition.‬‭The‬‭learned‬‭counsel‬‭for‬‭the‬‭appellants,‬‭therefore,‬‭prayed‬

‭that the writ appeal be allowed.‬

‭5.‬ ‭Per‬ ‭contra,‬ ‭the‬ ‭learned‬ ‭counsel‬ ‭appearing‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬

‭respondents‬ ‭submitted‬ ‭that‬ ‭they‬‭have‬ ‭no‬‭objection‬‭to‬‭modifying‬ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭the‬‭first‬ ‭sentence‬‭of‬‭Condition‬ ‭No.‬‭1,‬ ‭subject‬ ‭to‬‭the‬ ‭rider‬‭that‬‭no‬

‭right‬‭over‬‭the‬‭paddy‬‭fields‬‭for‬‭fishing‬‭activities‬‭would‬‭accrue‬‭until‬

‭the‬ ‭statutory‬ ‭period‬ ‭notified‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭order‬ ‭has‬ ‭expired.‬

‭Accordingly,‬‭the‬‭first‬‭sentence‬‭of‬‭Condition‬‭No.‬‭1‬‭in‬‭the‬‭impugned‬

‭order may be modified to that extent.‬

‭6.‬‭Heard‬‭the‬‭learned‬‭counsel‬‭for‬‭the‬‭parties‬‭and‬‭perused‬‭the‬

‭records.‬

‭7.‬ ‭On‬ ‭a‬ ‭perusal‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭impugned‬ ‭order,‬ ‭Ext.‬ ‭P4‬ ‭dated‬

‭10.03.2020,‬ ‭it‬‭is‬‭evident‬ ‭that‬‭there‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬‭contradiction‬‭between‬‭the‬

‭two‬ ‭sentences‬ ‭in‬ ‭condition‬ ‭No.1.‬ ‭The‬ ‭first‬ ‭sentence‬ ‭permits‬ ‭the‬

‭appellants‬ ‭to‬ ‭take‬ ‭steps‬ ‭for‬ ‭auctioning‬ ‭the‬ ‭chal‬ ‭only‬ ‭after‬ ‭31st‬

‭October‬ ‭each‬‭year.‬ ‭Whereas‬‭the‬‭second‬‭sentence‬‭envisages‬‭that‬‭if‬

‭the‬ ‭auction‬ ‭proceedings‬ ‭are‬ ‭conducted‬ ‭before‬ ‭October‬ ‭31st,‬ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭fishing‬ ‭activities‬‭will‬‭be‬‭strictly‬‭prohibited‬‭during‬‭the‬‭said‬‭period‬

‭when‬ ‭paddy‬ ‭cultivation‬ ‭activities‬ ‭are‬ ‭being‬ ‭carried‬ ‭out.‬ ‭There‬

‭appears to be a contradiction between two sentences.‬

‭8.‬ ‭As‬‭a‬ ‭result,‬ ‭we‬‭clarify‬‭that‬‭the‬ ‭appellants‬‭may‬‭take‬ ‭steps‬

‭for‬‭auctioning‬‭the‬‭chal‬ ‭prior‬‭to‬‭October‬‭31st‬‭each‬‭year‬‭as‬‭per‬‭the‬

‭prevailing‬‭criteria,‬‭but‬‭would‬‭not‬‭enter‬‭into‬‭fishing‬‭contract‬‭prior‬

‭to‬ ‭31st‬‭October‬‭and‬‭that‬‭no‬‭right‬‭would‬‭accrue‬‭to‬‭the‬‭contractors‬

‭to‬‭enter‬‭the‬‭fields‬‭prior‬‭to‬‭the‬‭statutory‬‭period‬‭notified‬‭from‬‭time‬

‭to time.‬

‭With‬ ‭the‬ ‭above‬ ‭slight‬ ‭modification,‬ ‭the‬ ‭writ‬ ‭appeal‬ ‭is‬

‭disposed‬‭of‬ ‭finally.‬‭The‬‭present‬‭order‬‭be‬‭read‬‭in‬‭conjunction‬‭with‬

‭the‬ ‭judgment‬ ‭dated‬ ‭22.10.2021‬ ‭passed‬ ‭in‬ ‭W.P(C)No.929‬ ‭of‬ ‭2021.‬

‭The‬‭said‬‭judgment‬‭shall‬‭also‬‭govern‬‭W.P.(C)‬‭No.‬‭20697‬‭of‬‭2023,‬‭and‬ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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‭shall‬ ‭apply‬ ‭with‬ ‭full‬ ‭force‬‭to‬ ‭the‬‭facts‬ ‭and‬ ‭circumstances‬‭of‬‭that‬

‭case. No order as to costs.‬

‭Sd/-‬

SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI‬ ‭ JUDGE‬ ‭

‭Sd/-‬ SYAM KUMAR V.M.‬ ‭ JUDGE‬ ‭

MC/12.8‬ ‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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APPENDIX OF WA 1418/2021‬ ‭

RESPONDENT ANNEXURES‬ ‭

ANNEXURE R5(a)‬ ‭ ‭rue‬ ‭ T copy‬ ‭ of‬ ‭ the‬ ‭ proceedings‬ ‭ of‬ ‭ the‬ District‬ ‭ ‭ Collector‬ ‭dated‬ ‭17.02.2025‬ along with the translation.‬ ‭ ‭W.A.No‬‭.1418 of 2021 & WP(C)No.20697 of 2023‬

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APPENDIX OF WP(C) 20697/2023‬ ‭

PETITIONER EXHIBITS‬ ‭

Exhibit-P1‬ ‭ ‭HE‬ ‭ T TRUE‬ ‭ COPY‬ ‭ OF‬ ‭ THE‬ ‭ ORDER‬ ‭ PASSED‬ ‭ BY‬ THE 1ST RESPONDENT DATED 09.02.2023‬ ‭

Exhibit-P2‬ ‭ ‭HE‬ ‭ T TRUE‬ ‭ COPY‬ ‭ OF‬ ‭ THE‬ ‭ POTHUYOGAM‬ ‭ NOTICE‬ ISSUED‬ ‭ BY‬ ‭ ‭ 6TH‬ RESPONDENT‬ ‭ ‭ DATED‬ 18.06.2023‬ ‭