Taking a serious view with regard to the pendency of lakhs of patta transfer applications across the state, the Madras high court observed that failure on part of the officials to dispose of the applications had made the people run from pillar to post and approach the courts.
Justice D Krishnakumar, who made the observations while disposing of a batch of petitions with regard to patta transfers kept pending by the authorities, also gave a slew of directions to the state government for disposal of pending applications within a period of six months on or before March 2021.
“Patta is one of the crucial documentary evidence for claiming the ownership of the property. Pattas can also be used to establish the right of ownership in a court of law,” the judge said.
Lakhs of applications for granting of patta are kept pending for months and years together. Despite several measures taken by the government and this court, the same is not being implemented in letter and spirit by the officials concerned, the judge said.
Citing that the data given by the government is really shocking, the judge noted that from a report filed by the director of survey and settlement, it is seen that as on July 31, there are 6,39,930 applications involving sub-division (ISD) and 1,46,907 applications not involving sub-division (NISD), pending across the state. Pursuant to the intervention of the court, the state informed that 1,68,482 ISD applications (26.3%) and 1,41,159 NISD applications (96.1%) were disposed of as on September 21.
The judge then directed the commissioner of land administration to instruct all district collectors to conduct review meetings periodically based on the government guidelines. The director of survey and settlement shall also conduct review meetings periodically and submit the reports to the commissioner.
“The commissioner or the collectors shall assign zonal deputy tasildars exclusively for dealing with the disposal of the applications for granting online pattas. The tahsildar concerned shall periodically submit a report to the collector during the first week of every month with regard to the delay on part of the officers for disposal of the applications,” the judge said.
Based on the tahsildar report, the collector shall call for the explanation for the delay from the officer concerned. If the explanation is not satisfactory, then the collector shall initiate disciplinary proceedings against the officer for causing the delay, said the judge. The judge further directed the commissioner to issue instructions to all the collectors and revenue authorities to strictly comply with the aforesaid directions issued by the court to dispose of the applications within the specified time limit, as specified in the relevant GOs.
