Supreme Court upholds land title cancellation in Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court of India has upheld the cancellation of a ‘ryotwari patta’ land title that was granted over land officially recorded as a government water body in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.

The ruling, delivered by a Bench of Justices S. V. N. Bhatti and N. V. Anjaria, dismissed legal challenges from a flat owner and Tamil Nadu Mercantile Bank Ltd. The case involved land in Thirumullaivoyal village that had been classified as government-owned waterland as far back as 1911. Although a patta was issued in 2011, the Commissioner of Land Administration canceled it in 2019, citing it was issued illegally.

While upholding the cancellation, the Court expressed concern for the owners of 20 flats built on the site, noting they were misled into believing they held legal rights. To prevent irreparable financial injury and homelessness, the Court directed the Tamil Nadu state government to provide a suitable alternative site for the residents within six months. Only after this relocation can the government proceed with the demolition of the unauthorized structures on the 0.22-acre area to restore the water body.