Court No. - 23
Case :- PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. - 4206 of 2018 Petitioner :- Harishankar Alias Babblu Respondent :- State Of U.P. And 7 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Ram Chandra Yadav Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.,Ramesh Chandra Upadhyay
Hon'ble Salil Kumar Rai,J.
The petitioner has approached this Court praying for a writ of mandamus directing respondent authorities to remove the illegal encroachments over certain plots, which the petitioner alleges to be Gaon Sabha property. However, from the records annexed with the writ petition, it does not appear that the petitioner has filed any application before the concerned Assistant Collector, even though under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006, it is the Assistant Collector, who is empowered to inquire into matters relating to encroachments over Gaon Sabha property and pass appropriate orders for removal of the said encroachments.
It would serve no purpose to keep the writ petition pending, and therefore, it is directed that petitioner may submit a representation before the Assistant Collector bringing the relevant facts regarding encroachment over the aforesaid plots to the notice of the concerned Assistant Collector who, if no proceedings under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006 have already been registered in relation to encroachment over the said plots, on receiving the aforesaid representation shall inquire into the allegations made by the petitioner after following the procedure prescribed under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006 read with Rule 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code Rules, 2016 and pass appropriate orders within a period of six months from the date when the aforesaid representation is filed by the petitioner. In case the allegations of the petitioner are found to be true the Assistant Collector shall ensure that the encroachments over the Gaon Sabha property are removed within a period of one month thereafter unless the order of Assistant Collector is stayed by any superior authority or court in any appeal or revision filed against the order of Assistant Collector. It is also directed that, if the petitioner or any other member of the Gaon Sabha files an application in the case registered before the Assistant Collector, to be heard in opposition to the noticee in the said cases, the Assistant Collector shall afford a reasonable opportunity to the said persons to oppose the defence, if any, taken by the noticee.
It is clarified that this Court has not adjudicated upon the merits of the claim as raised by the petitioner in the present writ petition.
With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition is disposed of.
Order Date :- 24.8.2018 IB