Tajideen v. The District Collector
Case brief
What is this about?
Tajideen v. The District Collector, Pudukkottai & Ors., W.P.(MD)No.4535 of 2026 (Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, order dated 19.02.2026, G.R.Swaminathan & B.Pugalendhi JJ.) - Block Development Officer has no power to enforce eviction or take coercive action against encroachment; the jurisdictional Tahsildar alone is competent to act under the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905; the BDO may only point out encroachments and call upon the encroacher to remove them. Writ petition disposed of on this clarification; no costs; connected W.M.P.(MD)Nos.3797 & 3802 of 2026 closed. Keywords: encroachment, eviction, Block Development Officer, Tahsildar, Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act 1905, Article 226, certiorari, writ of certiorari, Pudukkottai, Gandarvakottai.
What did the court decide?
Writ petition disposed of by clarifying the legal position that the Block Development Officer cannot enforce eviction or take coercive action on his own; only the jurisdictional Tahsildar can act under the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905, while the BDO may point out encroachments and call for their removal. No costs; connected miscellaneous petitions (W.M.P.(MD)Nos.3797 & 3802 of 2026) closed.