Chand Roy Hansda and Ors. v. the State of West Bengal and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
WPA 5979 of 2025 (disposed 08.04.2025, Partha Sarathi Sen, J.) — maintainability of writ petition versus alternative remedy of pending civil suit; illegal/unlicensed stone extraction and excavation alleged on plot nos. 3948, 4043, 4044, 4045, Mouza Tarachua, Birbhum; Title Suit no. 199 of 2023 with status quo order distinguished on subject matter; alternative-remedy plea held not tenable; writ held maintainable; District Magistrate, Birbhum directed to enquire via officer not below BL&LRO rank, consider representation dated 18.02.2025, pass reasoned order after hearing, and stop illegal excavation if substance found.
What did the court decide?
The writ petition was disposed of with directions to respondent no. 5 (District Magistrate, Birbhum): (i) enquiry into the allegations of writ petitioner no. 3's letter dated 18.02.2025 by an officer not below the rank of BL&LRO after due notice to all writ petitioners and private respondents; (ii) consideration of the representation dated 18.02.2025 in light of the enquiry report; (iii) a reasoned order after affording an opportunity of hearing to both sides and/or their authorised representatives, communicated forthwith, preferably by mail; (iv) if sufficient substance is found, forthwith action to stop the alleged illegal excavation and/or stone extraction; plus liberty to the writ petitioners to communicate the server copy of the order to respondent no. 5, who is directed to act on the server copy.