New Delhi: Complaints arose that SASTRA University had encroached upon 31.37 acres of dry land in Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur district, which had been allotted for setting up an open prison, and had constructed large buildings on that land and been conducting classes there.
A case was filed in the Madras High Court in this regard. After hearing the case, the High Court ordered on January 9 that the Revenue Department must recover the land encroached upon by SASTRA University.
In the appeal filed by Sastra University against this order, the Supreme Court imposed an interim stay on the High Court’s order. In this situation, the case related to Sastra University’s land came up again for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
At that time, senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for the petitioners, stated that they were prepared either to provide another university-owned site located 5 kilometers away instead of the present site where the university is situated, or to pay the government for the land based on market value.
Following this, the judges asked why the government could not acquire another piece of land instead, since an educational institution is currently functioning on the concerned land.
In response, Additional Advocate General of the Tamil Nadu government Haripriya and Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta said, “In the past, the Chennai High Court and the Supreme Court have dismissed this land-related case. But now, the SASTRA University side is once again raising the same issue in the Supreme Court. Encroachment of government land cannot be permitted.”
However, the judges, who refused to fully accept that argument, asked why the Tamil Nadu government could not consider this matter now that a university is functioning there for educational purposes; what problem is there in acquiring land at another location? They also suggested that the government could take an appropriate decision on this matter.
Then, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, a request was made to adjourn the case for 4 weeks so that an appropriate explanation could be obtained and submitted in this matter. Following this, the judges, noting that an educational institution is currently functioning at the site said to have been encroached upon, adjourned the case and ordered the Tamil Nadu government to conduct consultations on obtaining alternative land in place of that site and file a counter affidavit.
