‘Can’t lift ban on unapproved plots registration’

The reiteration came when an advocate appearing on behalf of the All India Real Estate Businessmen Welfare Association made a mention before the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, that the ban has adversely affected the real estate industry and sought to modify the ban imposed. 

To this, the Chief Justice made it known that the court has no intention to modify the order and that they could file their plea, which would be taken in due course along with the main petition, which is slated for hearing on October 21. The association, which has planned to implead itself in the case has contended that the order passed was being interpreted by each sub-registrar in their own way and have started to refuse the sale deeds of plots which were purchased by the buyers even in the year 2000 or even before.

The plea also submitted that lakhs of people had purchased plots prior to the order being passed by the High Court and had obtained patta, chitta and adangal in their respective names and were paying land taxes also. Now, apprehension and fear has set in as to whether the plots purchased by them have become a dead asset.

It may be noted that the Madras High Court in its order had directed that no registering authority shall register any sale deed in respect of any plots in unauthorised layouts or any flats/building constructed on such plots. It also pointed out that the order becomes necessary to prevent further development of unauthorised layouts and conversion of agricultural areas for non-agriculture use in an unplanned manner, as also to save ecology and prevent flooding, while simultaneously giving time to the government to come forth with necessary policy documents and legislative changes.