Today law tips #DURAIVAIYAPURI Mhc Advt: WHETHER THE LAND CLASSIFIED AS “GRAMA NATHAM LAND” IS BELONGED TO THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY?

[28/04, 07:13] DURAIVAIYAPURI Mhc Advt: WHETHER THE LAND CLASSIFIED AS “GRAMA NATHAM LAND” IS BELONGED TO THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY?

1) The Madras High Court in the case of Rangaraja Iyengar and Another vs. Achi Kannu Ammal and Another [1959 SCC OnLine Mad 30], the Court held that “a house site owned by a person in what is generally known as ‘Grama Natham’, is not under the property of the Government”.

2) Similarly, the Madras High Court in the case of Thillaivanam, A.K. and another vs. District Collector, Chengai Anna District and 3 Others, 1998 (3) L.W. 603 and in Krishnamurthy Gounder vs. Government of Tamil Nadu, 2002 (3) CTC 221 held that the house sites classified as ‘Grama Natham’ cannot be construed as vesting with the Government.

3) Further, ‘Grama Natham’ is defined in the Law Lexicon as “ground set apart on which the house of village may be built”. Similarly, Natham land is described in Tamil lexicon published under the authority of University of Madras to the effect that it is a residential portion of a village; or portion of a village inhabited by the non-Brahmins; or land reserved as house sites; etc.

4) Hence, the land being a ‘Grama Natham’, it is obvious that the land was never vested with the Government or the Town Panchayat.

Articy by
E.Duraivaiyapuri,
Advocate,
YMCA Building,
Chennai – 1.
[28/04, 07:32] sekarreporter1: 👍👍