MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Monday directed the Inspector General of Registration to submit within two weeks a report with statistical data on the registration of unapproved plots and layouts across TN, dating from October 20, 2016, the day on which Section 22-A of the Registration Act was introduced.
A division bench of justices R Mahadevan and J Sathya Narayana Prasad gave the direction while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking action against a sub-registrar from Theni for allegedly registering several unapproved layouts in Veerapandi village in the district.
No registration authority is entitled to register an unapproved plot or layout, the judges observed and warned that any violation in this regard would be viewed seriously by the court. The case was adjourned for two weeks.
The litigant, P Saravanan of Theni, alleged in his petition that two persons were selling residential plots in Veerapandi village to the public without getting layout approval from the Executive Officer of Veerapandi Town Panchayat. Though Section 22 A of the Registration Act, 1908, and Rule 15 of Tamil Nadu Regularization of Unapproved Plots and Layouts Rules 2017, bar the registration of unapproved layouts, a sub-registrar from the Theni sub-registrar office aided the duo by registering the unapproved layouts for the land parcels, Saravanan alleged. After the bench heard the matter last week, the sub-registrar was placed under suspension and the same was informed to the court.