HC directs state govt to set up centralised panel

The Madras High Court has directed the state government to set up a centralized committee to verify the position of allotment of 'Panjami' lands in different districts to ensure that beneficiaries actually get the land.
A petition was filed by one Arungunam S. Vinayagam seeking a direction to constitute a Commission or a Committee to restore the 'Panjami' lands which are under the control and possession of non-SC/ST people.
The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, before which the plea came up, in its order said "we are of the view that since this issue is cropping again and again in different petitions, it would be just and necessary that the state government constitutes a centralized committee to verify the position of allotment of the above said lands to ensure that the beneficiaries actually get the land."

According to the petitioner, he made a representation on July 16 to the government to constitute a committee presided over by someone of Chief Secretary rank and inclusive of officials of National Commission for SC/ST and National Human Rights Commission to identify Panjami lands under the control and possession of non-SC/ST people in Tamil Nadu.
The petitioner had sought restoration of the lands to its original position and to distribute it to the poor Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people within a stipulated period of time.
The First Bench observed that the petitioner seeks to raise a larger issue without really getting specifics of the lands which are earmarked for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community and being occupied by persons not belonging to the community.

However, as the petitioner states that the government should itself constitute a committee, his representation should be accordingly disposed of within a maximum period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, the bench said.