The Kerala High Court on Monday directed that status quo be maintained with respect to the steps being taken to resume the land in possession of Harrisons Malayalam Ltd in Pathanamthitta.
Justice P R Ramachandra Menon issued the directive while considering the petition filed by Harrisons challenging the Kozhenchery Tahsildar’s order to take over the land in Koney Estate.
According to the state government, an extent of 831.55-acre land in the estate is government land.
The petitioner is occupying the land illegally, so it was decided to take over the land under the Land Conservancy Act, the state submitted.
According to the petitioner, the land will not come under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act.
The Koney estate cultivated and enjoyed the benefits of the land for over 100 years and tax was also paid for it, so the land could not be considered puramboke.
The provisions of the Act apply only to puramboke land and not to lands in the company’s possession, the petitioner said.