Details of tax collected on disputed and unauthorised buildings sought

A division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Anita Sumanth, before seeking for the report said, “It is brought to our notice that municipal taxes has been collected for the unauthorised construction contrary to regulations as no taxes could have been collected without authorisation and sanction plan.”

However, on the amount of compensation payable to the families of deceased and injured the bench on recording the submission of the Additional Advocate General that parties have chosen to engage their own private counsels and initiate the process, said, “We have indicated in our earlier order that Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority (TNSLA) shall assist the family members of the deceased for getting adequate compensation. Since the report is yet to be filed, three weeks given to file the report.” With regard to order passed for punishment of erring officials which was placed along with affidavit filed by the Corporation, the bench on taking it on record, said, “We are not expressing any opinion on the adequacy of the punishment as of now. Status report about the criminal investigation and the trial has to be filed by the police within three weeks.”

The bench while dispensing with the personal appearance of the Corporation Commissioner in further hearings in the case also offered three weeks to the petitioner Traffic K Ramaswamy to file his rejoinder on the affidavits filed by the district collector Chennai and corporation commissioner on the issue. The plea has been posted to January 24 for further hearing

Ramaswamy had moved the plea seeking action against officials who failed to check the unauthorised construction of the building in Vadaplani, which caused the death of four people in a fire accident. He had also sought for adequate compensation to the victims and those who sustained injuries.