9,760 documents of properties recorded during ban across Tamil Nadu

As many as 9,760 documents relating to properties situated on unapproved plots and agricultural lands have been registered during the blanket ban period.

CHENNAI: As many as 9,760 documents relating to properties situated on unapproved plots and agricultural lands have been registered during the blanket ban period, ie, from September 9, 2016, to March 28, 2017, the Madras High Court was informed on Thursday.

When the PIL from advocate ‘Elephant’ G Rajendran and the appeals and intervening petitions from realtors and others came up before the special bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, the Inspector General of Registration filed his counter on Thursday.

The counter said the total documents registered from September 9 to March 28 in all 578 sub-registrar offices were 8,81,953. Of this, sale deeds registered were 2,39,922. In deference to the court’s order dated April 21, nine Deputy Inspector Generals of Registration, who head the zones, have submitted details of sale documents relating to unapproved layouts registered by sub-registrars, the counter added.

Of the nine districts in which 9,760 documents were registered, Vellore tops the list with 2,581 registrations. Madurai is next with 2,434, while Chennai accounted for 1,412.
After restoring the operation of the September 9 order, which had granted a blanket stay on registration of buildings constructed on unapproved layouts and agricultural lands, the bench on April 21 directed concerned authorities to furnish details of the properties registered illegally.
This direction followed an allegation from the petitioner that the Registrars, Joint Registrars and Sub-Registrars, with help from politicians and realtors, had registered about 4 lakh illegal documents from September 9. The bench adjourned the matter till May 12.

Timeline

  • September 9, 2016: Hearing a PIL from ‘Elephant’ K Rajendran, the first bench of Madras High Court, comprising of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, bans registration of plots/buildings constructed in unauthorised layouts.
  • October 21, 2016: After hearing a batch of more than 30 petitions filed by individuals and companies engaged in real estate activities, the high court refuses to reconsider its earlier order.
  • March 28, 2017: Granting partial relief, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice RMT Teekka Raman allow registration of documents relating to the transfer of ownership of the lands converted as house sites.
  • April 21, 2017: HC restores a total ban on registration and directs authorities to furnish the details of the properties registered illegally from September 9.
  • May 4, 2017: The Court is told that 9,760 documents relating to properties situated on unapproved plots and agricultural lands have been registered during the blanket ban period.

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