CHENNAI: It is not as if any person can encroach upon the grama natham lands and claim ownership or title. If such a situation is permitted, it would lead to lawlessness, said the Madras High Court recently.
The observation was made by a division bench of justices SM Subramaniam and K Surender while dismissing a plea by S Selvakumar seeking to quash the eviction notice issued by revenue authorities for removing encroachments made on grama natham land in Chengalpet.
The bench held the government is empowered to regulate grama natham lands as reiterated in the Revenue Standing Order 21 and 26 and such lands are to be assigned for the construction of dwelling houses to the landless/homeless poor persons, and may be utilised for public purposes.
The petitioner prayed to quash the eviction notice issued by Thirukazhukundram tahsildar in 2025, under the TN Land Encroachment Act, for removing the commercial building raised by him on the grama natham land and forbearing the respondent authorities from interfering with his possession of the properties.
The petitioner’s counsel said he is running a shop and is in occupation of the grama natham land and so the government has no right over it. However, the counsel for the respondent authorities contended that the land is meant for running commercial establishments but only for dwelling purposes.
The bench said, “Grama natham lands are not meant to be encroached upon by greedy men or any person with muscle or political powers.” It added the ownership of the material resources of the community are so distributed to subserve common good; that apart, raising commercial establishments on such land is impermissible.