CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed the operation of a notice issued by a civic body to the Suddha Sanmarga Nilayam at Vadalur, seeking to evict the properties of the trust raised on a particular plot of land which was alienated to it long ago.
A vacation bench of Justices P T Asha and N Senthilkumar passed the interim orders to stay the eviction notice on Wednesday after hearing a petition filed by R Selvaraj, secretary of Suddha Sanmarga Nilayam, a trust founded by late leader Omandur Ramasamy Reddiar.
The bench also issued notice to the district collector of Cuddalore directing him to file a reply to the petition by June 12 and adjourned the case to the same date.
The petitioner stated that the trust was founded 73 years ago for propagating the philosophical ideas and preachings of Vallalar Ramalinga Adigalar by establishing educational and charitable endowments.
He said that these institutions, which included a home for helpless persons and educational institutions to cater to the needs of the poor, were raised on land alienated by the government in 1951. However, the title was not transferred for one particular plot measuring 1.55 acres and it was not noticed earlier.
The petitioner alleged that the president of Seplanatham panchayat had developed a grudge against the trust because it could not fulfil many of his demands and issued an eviction notice, without having the jurisdiction, on May 6, 2024.
The trust had submitted an application to the concerned authorities to make changes in the revenue records, in which, the particular land was mentioned as tharisu land but no action has been taken so far, he said, adding that a civil suit was also filed in the Neyveli court.
The petitioner prayed for the court to quash the eviction notice and direct the respondents not to proceed further until the application for the grant of patta was decided by the revenue authorities.