5.Even in such case, where the application is filed, the said application is to be dealt with by the authorities by following the procedures as contemplated under the Tamil Nadu Patta Passbook Act, 1983. Under Section 3, Tahsildar is the authority to entertain an application for issue of patta passbook and for modification under Section 10. Therefore, the petitioners have to approach the Tahsildar. Even as per the affidavits filed in support of the present Writ Petitions, the petitioners claim that they have sent representations to the District Collector. The District Collector is not the original authority to deal with the grievances of the petitioner in the provision of the Patta Passbook Act and therefore, both the petitioners are at liberty to file an appropriate application in the prescribed format before the competent authority under the Tamil Nadu Patta Passbook Act either for issuance of Patta or for modification, etc. In the event of such applications, the said applications are to be dealt with by the authorities competent in the manner prescribed under the provisions of the Act and Rules and by affording opportunity to all the parties concerned and the applications are to be taken into consideration, in the order of seniority based on the date of application and in general, the authorities are bound to deal with all such applications in a time bound manner and dispose of the same as expeditiously as possible. Keeping such applications filed under the Patta Passbook Act for a longer time would cause prejudice to the parties and in the event of any dispute between the parties, the authorities cannot issue a patta and the parties must be granted with an opportunity to approach the Civil Court for establishing their civil rights. Thus, it is made clear that the Revenue authorities cannot adjudicate the disputed issues between the parties regarding their civil rights and the patta is to be granted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Act. With these clarifications, the petitions stand disposed of with a liberty to the petitioners to approach the authorities.
