S.Sarojini Vs The Tahsildar — Land Acquisition | Madras HC (2025)

S.Sarojini Vs The Tahsildar — Land Acquisition | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None to the appellant; the impugned order dated 26.11.2021 was confirmed and the writ appeals were dismissed with no costs.

Issue for consideration

Whether the acquisition proceedings stood completed in respect of the appellant's land, notwithstanding her contention that the portion of her land was recommended to be deleted by the SIPCOT administration and the Government accepted the same, so that no acquisition proceedings were completed in respect of her land. +1 more

Court's answer

The appellant's lands were in fact acquired and an award was passed; the compensation amount was deposited; and the requisitioning body, viz., SIPCOT, took over possession of the acquired lands and allotted plots to eligible persons for developing the industrial park — the appellant's land was not excluded from the acquisition.

Ratio / Principle

The appellant's plea that the Government accepted SIPCOT's recommendation for deletion of her land was not substantiated: no such Government Order has been produced before this court, and counsel submitted that the Government Order is not available with the appellant.

Key takeaways

The appellant has not established any acceptable ground to assail the order impugned; the common order dated 26.11.2021 in W.P.Nos.28709 of 2007 and 6600 of 2011 is confirmed, and consequently the writ appeals stand dismissed with no costs.ratio¶85
The Court noted that the writ court had considered all the grounds raised and further considered the scope of Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act and the principles laid down by the Constitution Bench in Indore Development Authority -vs- Manohar Lal, (2020) 8 SCC 129.obiter¶79

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Division Bench of S.M. Subramaniam and C. Saravanan JJ.; judgment delivered by S.M. Subramaniam J.), by common judgment dated 02.09.2025, dismisses W.A.Nos.2502 & 2503 of 2022 filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent by S. Sarojini against the common order dated 26.11.2021 in W.P.Nos.28709 of 2007 and 6600 of 2011, and confirms that order. The appellant contended that her land in Mathur village (S.No.375/1, extent 0.63.0 hectares), acquired for the SIPCOT Oragadam industrial park project, had been recommended for deletion by SIPCOT and the Government had accepted it, relying on a SIPCOT letter dated 19.06.2000; however, no Government Order effecting such deletion was produced and counsel stated it was unavailable. On the Land Acquisition Officer's written instructions dated 24.11.2022, the Court traced the statutory chain under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894: administrative sanction in G.O.Ms.No.125, Industries (MID-2) Department, dated 09.05.1997 (636.88.0 hectares dry patta and 190.34.0 hectare government promboke lands in Mathur and 8 other villages) under the emergency provision of Section 17(1); Section 4(1) notification in G.O.Ms.No.503 dated 24.06.1999 covering 8.30.5 hectares inclusive of the petitioner's land, Section 5-A enquiry dispensed with; Section 6 declaration in G.O.No.747 dated 07.10.1999; Section 7 direction approved by the District Collector, Kanchipuram on 20.01.2000; notices under Sections 9 and 10; Award No.2/2001 (Rc.No.24/98-A) dated 05.10.2001 covering S.No.375/1 (0.63.0 hectares); compensation deposited; possession handed to SIPCOT on 19.03.2003 and the land allotted to M/s.Appallow Infrastructure Limited. Noting that the writ court had considered Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act and Indore Development Authority -vs- Manohar Lal, (2020) 8 SCC 129, the Division Bench held no acceptable ground was established and dismissed the appeals with no costs.

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Order under challenge
Common order dated 26.11.2021 passed in W.P.Nos.28709 of 2007 and 6600 of 2011 by the writ court, rejecting the appellant's challenge (the order under appeal in both writ appeals).¶55
High Court of Judicature at Madras (writ court) · 26.11.2021
Prior proceeding
Administrative sanction accorded in G.O.Ms.No.125, Industries (MID-2) Department, dated 09.05.1997 for acquisition of 636.88.0 hectares of dry patta lands and 190.34.0 hectare of government promboke lands in Mathur and 8 other villages of Sriperumbudur Taluk under the emergency provision of Section 17(1), Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in favour of Tamil Nadu Corporation of Industrial Infrastructure Development Limited.¶65
Prior proceeding
Draft Notification under section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act in respect of 8.30.5 hectares of lands of Mathur village, inclusive of the petitioner's land, approved in G.O.Ms.No.503 dated 24.06.1999; published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette dated 24.06.1999, in Malai Murasu and Tharasu dated 14.07.1999, and by publication of substance in the locality on 30.07.1999; hearing of objections under section 5-A dispensed with, the notification having been issued invoking the emergency provision under section 17(1).¶67
Prior proceeding
Draft declaration under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act approved by Government in G.O.No.747, Industries Department, dated 07.10.1999; published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette dated 07.10.1999 and in newspapers Murasoli dated 13.10.1999 and Malai Murasu dated 14.10.1999.¶71
Prior proceeding
Letter addressed by SIPCOT to the Government dated 19.06.2000, relied on by the appellant to contend that her land was recommended for deletion and the Government accepted it; no implementing Government Order was produced.¶60
Prior proceeding
Draft Direction under Section 7 of the Land Acquisition Act approved by the District Collector, Kanchipuram in Rc.No.1058/98 dated 20.01.2000.¶72
Prior proceeding
Award enquiry conducted on 23.08.2001 and 24.08.2001 after publication of notices under sections 9(1), 9(3) and 10; award passed under section 11 as Award No.2/2001 (Rc.No.24/98-A) dated 05.10.2001 for 8.30.5 hectares inclusive of the petitioner's land in S.No.375/1 for an extent of 0.63.0.¶73
Prior proceeding
Possession of the lands handed over to SIPCOT authorities on 19.03.2003; the petitioner's land was allotted to M/s.Appallow Infrastructure Limited by SIPCOT.¶74
Prior proceeding
In W.A.No.2503 of 2022, R4 (The Secretary to Government, Industries Department, St. George Fort) shown as impleaded vide order dated 31.06.2017 (date as printed in the judgment).¶43
Prior proceeding
In W.A.No.2503 of 2022, R5 (M/s.Apollo Infrastructure Projects Finance Company Pvt Ltd.) shown as impleaded vide order dated 18.08.2017.¶45
Prior proceeding
In W.A.No.2503 of 2022, R6 (M/s. Zetek Castings Pvt Ltd.) shown as impleaded vide order dated 14.09.2017.¶46
Prior proceeding
Written instructions dated 24.11.2022 given by the Special Tahsildar, Land Acquisition, SIPCOT, Orgadam-TACID Division, Oragadam existing scheme, Sriperumbudur, setting out the acquisition steps, placed before this Court.¶62