Chhotelal v. State of Chhattisgarh
Case brief
What is this about?
Forest land occupation and threatened eviction/demolition by revenue authorities (Tahsildar, Surajpur, Chhattisgarh); writ petitions disposed of without deciding merits; conditional interim protection — 'no coercive steps' contingent on filing claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 within 30 days; competent authority to decide FRA claims expeditiously per law; protection lapses if applications not filed in time. Useful as a precedent for FRA 2006 claim-processing directions and conditional interim relief against eviction/demolition.
What did the court decide?
Directions that, upon the petitioners filing applications under the FRA 2006 within 30 days before the competent authority, the authority shall consider and decide them in accordance with law expeditiously; interim protection that no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioners until a decision on such applications; the protection lapses if the applications are not filed within the stipulated time period.