Eviction delay does not give encroachers right over govt land

OBSERVING that the indifference of officials in evicting encroachers from a government land would not mean that the encroachers would acquire rights, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently allowed an appeal filed by the state government to retrieve a five-acre government land, which lies in the foreshore area of Vandiyur irrigation tank in Madurai, from private individuals.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Madurai

A family was in possession of the aforesaid land since 1961 by paying some amount as 'land revenue' to the government. They later claimed ownership of the land, which was confirmed by Madurai District Munsif Court in 1995. The property was then purchased by PRP Exports in 2005. The government belatedly preferred an appeal against the Munsif Court decree before Principal District Judge, Madurai in 2016 but the same was dismissed four years later, challenging which the government filed the present second appeal.