The Madras High Court today dismissed a petition filed by a private educational institution praying for direction to authorities to grant land title on ten acres of prime land in the city to it.
The Institute of the Brothers of St. Patrick, Adayar, which runs several educational institutions, in its petition sought "patta" (ownership title) for 10 acres of land and two grounds situated in Kottur village, Mylapore, Triplicane Taluk in Chennai, which it was using as play ground.
As per the Revenue Department records the land has been classified as "Sarkar Poramboke" and was described as "Chennai Corporation Vilayattu Maidanam" (play ground).
Dismissing the petition, Justice K K Sasidharan observed that the petitioner has no case and set aside an order of a lower court which had passed orders in favour of the petitioner.
Justice Sasidharan observed that "this is an era of land grabbing not only by private individuals but also by educational institutions and public charitable trust."
The Judge found fault with the Civil Court verdict directing authorities to grant land rights to the educational institution and concurred with the opinion tendered by the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Administration that the land in question belonged to government.
The Revenue authorities had challenged the civil court order before the High Court.
