Landowners sought a mandamus directing authorities to conclude Salem Airport land acquisition proceedings begun in 2018 and pay compensation under the 2013 RFCTLARR Act. The court held the acquisition was still in process and the petition premature, dismissing it.
None; writ petition dismissed with no costs.
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W.P.No.26264 of 2024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
Dated : 09.10.2025
CORAM
THE HON'BLE Mr. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY
W.P.No.26264 of 2024
1.M.V.Sellamuthu
... Petitioners
Vs.
W.P.No.26264 of 2024
5.The Director, Salem Airport, Airport Road, Kamalapuram, Salem – 636 309. Prayer:
... Respondents
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to conclude the Land Acquisition Proceeding in Na.Ka.No.8123/2018/B1 dated 02.04.2018 and award compensation as per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 as per the time stipulated under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.
For Petitioner : Mr.P.Bhuvanesh for Mr.N.Jayakumar
For Respondents 1 to 4 : Mr.P.Sathish, Additional Government Pleader For Respondents 5 : Notice served (No appearance)
ORDER
The relief sought for in this writ petition is to direct the respondents to conclude the Land Acquisition Proceeding in Na.Ka.No.8123/2018/B1 dated 02.04.2018 and award compensation as
per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 as
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per the time stipulated under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997.
2. The case of the petitioners is that they are the absolute owners
of various vacant lands situated at Sikkanampatti Village, Salem. The said lands were acquired by the Government for the purpose of expansion of Salem Airport and formation of Maintenance and Training Centre. The second respondent had issued a notification for Acquisition of land under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 and the petitioners had received letters dated 02.04.2018 and 24.04.2018 bearing Document No.Na.Ka.No.8123/2018/B1 to present any objection if any. Pursuant thereo, the third petitioner made his objection before the first respondent on behalf of all the petitioners and claimed compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Thereafter, final order of acquisition was made vide the Tamil Nadu Gazette Notification dated 04.06.2019, however the respondents have not taken any initiative to pay compensation to the petitioners. Therefore, on 12.02.2024, the third petitioner made a representation 3/7
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before the respondents 1 to 5, requesting to conclude the land acquisition proceedings and grant the compensation due. On 22.04.2024, the A.P.A.(Lands) had issued a reply to the third petitioner stating that the compensation shall be decided according to the Government Rules. It has been five years since the commencement of Land Acquisition proceedings and so far the petitioners have been unable to enjoy the benefits arising from the lands. Hence, the petitioners have come forward with the present writ petition.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that this Court
may direct the respondents to fix a time limit to complete the land acquisition proceedings for the expansion of Salem Airport and formation of Maintenance and Training Center.
4. Learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 4 submitted that for acquisition of aforesaid lands, preliminary notice was issued under Section 3(2) of the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 and called for objection if any. After receiving the objections, the concerned authority 4/7
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Airport.
is under the process of acquiring the lands for the expansion of Salem Airport.
5. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record.
6. As contended by the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 4, the concerned authority is under the process of acquiring the lands, after receiving objections from the parties concerned. Hence, this Court cannot fix any time limit for the completion of acquisition proceedings, since the concerned authority is facing lot of problems in acquiring the lands. Therefore, in the course of time, the said exercise will be completed and thereafter, the compensation will be fixed. Hence, filing the writ petition, in this stage is pre-mature.
Accordingly, this writ petition stands dismissed. No costs.
09.10.2025
Speaking/Non-speaking order
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Index : Yes / No Neutral Citation : Yes / No vm
To:
3.The Special Tahsildar, (Airport Land Acquisition), Room No.415, 4th Floor, Collectorate, Salem – 636 001.
5.The Director, Salem Airport, Airport Road, Kamalapuram, Salem – 636 309.
KRISHNAN RAMASAMY.J.,
vm
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1 issue framed by the court
Whether the court could fix a time limit for completion of pending land acquisition proceedings for Salem Airport expansion and award of compensation.
3 provisions across 3 enactments
M.V.Sellamuthu
S.Rajamani
S.Sidheshkumar
S.Rajesh Kumar
R.Devasena
The District Collector, Salem
Krishnan Ramasamy
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
