CHENNAI: Absolving IAS officer Kakarla Usha of wrongdoing in an illegal construction case, the Supreme Court earlier this week expunged its earlier adverse observations made against her.
The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to fast-track nearly 700 pending appeals filed against demolition and penal orders which have stalled enforcement against unauthorised constructions.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan accepted an affidavit filed by Usha, who was then housing department secretary, explaining the circumstances under which a March 22, 2024, government order had directed that no coercive action be taken against alleged building-rule violators.
After considering her affidavit and submissions made by Additional Advocate General Kavitha Nithyanandan Rameshwar, the bench on August 4 held that she had acted “bona fide”, with due “promptitude” and in compliance with its earlier directions. It expunged the adverse remarks made against her and dispensed with her personal appearance.
The bench also directed the Tamil Nadu government to designate at least five officers of equivalent rank as additional appellate and revisional authorities after being informed that around 700 appeals and revisions against demolition and penal orders issued by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) were pending.
Accordingly, the housing department on Wednesday authorised five senior planning officials from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to function as appellate and revisional authorities for six weeks under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971. The appointments, sought to clear the backlog, supersede a 2017 notification.
The case, which arose from an unauthorised building in Chennai, has since expanded into a nationwide judicial review of illegal constructions.
The Supreme Court has impleaded municipal corporations in every state and Union Territory capital, appointed senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha as amicus curiae, and given the GCC a week to clarify points in its affidavit flagged by him.