CHENNAI: An application arising out of a PIL has alleged that as many as four lakh documents have been registered with the Registration Department illegally, even after September 9, 2016 when the first Bench of the Madras High Court had granted an interim stay on registration of such properties on unauthorised layouts and agricultural lands.
In his application, advocate ‘Elephant’ K Rajendran also alleged that the District Registrars, Joint Registrars and Sub-Registrars made the illegal registrations, in collusion with the politicians and property developers, after receiving bribe.
Advocate-General R Muthukumaraswamy told the first Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar that the State is working on a regularisation scheme for unapproved layouts and a draft has been prepared and is under circulation. “Let there be no registration until then,” the Bench said.
Advocate VBR Menon, who challenged the newly introduced Section 22-A, following a recent amendment to the Tamil Nadu Registration Act, said that it allowed registration of plots sold already, even if they are situated on unapproved plots. Advocate Rajendran, who was the first to highlight the rampant violation of rules by filing the PIL, said there was an ambiguity in the last order which permitted resale of unapproved plots.
The hearing will continue on Friday.