IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.R.RAMAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN THURSDAY, THE 13TH MARCH 2008 / 23RD PHALGUNA 1929 OP.No. 24837 OF 1999(F) PETITIONERS: 1. FRANCIS ANTONY, PUTHOOR HOUSE, BANGLAVUTHARA, 50TH MILE, MANKULAM P.O., IDUKKI DISTRICT. 2. T. AJIT KUMAR, AMMU BHAVAN, DO.DO. 3. S. BINDU KUMARI, VISHNU PRIYA, DO.DO. 4. A. PADMAVATHY AMMA, PADMALAYAM, DO.DO. 5. S. SUDHAMANY, KRISHNALAYAM, DO.DO. 6. S. PRASANNA, KUNNIL VEEDU, DO.DO. 7. K.M. SUKUMARAN NAIR, ANANDA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 8. K. MOHANAN PILLAI, SAHYADRI, DO.DO. 9. P. PRASAD, MINI SADANAM, DO.DO. 10. C. GIRIJA, LEKSHMI SADANAM, DO.DO. 11. P. MOHANAN, NJARAVILA HOUSE, DO.DO. 12. K. MADANA MOHAN, ABHAYAM, DO.DO. 13. G. ANIL KUMAR, ARUN NIVAS, DO.DO. 14. G.S. GOPAKUKAR, GOKULAM, DO.DO. 15. T. SYAMALA, PAZHAVOOR VEEDU, DO.DO. 16. K. SREEKANTAN NAIR, BIJU BHAVAN, DO.DO. 17. R. SUKUMARAN NAIR, SIVA KRIPA, DO.DO. 18. D. KRISHNAN NAIR, KRISHNA KRIPA, DO.DO. O.P. 24837/1999 :2: 19. T.M. SELVAMONY, SAROJA NIVAS, DO.DO. 20. M.K. VISWAN, MARVELI HOUSE, DO.DO. 21. K. KRISHNAN, NIRMALA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 22. P. SAROJANI AMMA, AEIKKARA VEEDU, DO.DO. 23. S. OMANA AMMA, THOPPIL VEEDU, DO.DO. 24. S. MOHANAN NAIR, PARVATHEEYAM, DO.DO. 25. A.K. SHAJI KUMAR, KANJIRAM VILAYIL, DO.DO. 26. K. MOHANAN, KANNETTIL, DO.DO. 27. P.S. GOPA KUMAR, MATHRUKA, DO.DO. 28. K. SURESH BABU, KARTHI BHAVAN, 6TH MILE, MANKULAM P.O., IDUKKI DISTRICT. 29. G. VIKRAMAN, POOVADU VEEDU, DO.DO. 30. K.F. VARUGHESE, KORROTHU VEEDU, DO.DO. 31. P. NARAYANAN, PADMANABHA SADANAM, DO.DO. 32. N.D.VENUGOPAL, ALLIPARAMBIL HOUSE, DO.DO. 33. K.R. KALAVATHY, KAYYALATHARA VEEDU, DO.DO. 34. K.F. ANTONY, VATTOLI HOUSE, DO.DO. 35. A. SEKHARAN, THETTIVILA VEEDU, DO.DO. 36. M.K. VASU, MANNATHUPARAMBIL DO.DO. 37. SALI AUGUSTINE, ESSO BHAVAN, DO.DO. 38. M. SALI MARIYAMMA, VATTAPPALLY VEEDU,. DO.DO. 39. C. PONNAMMA, MOOKKUNNI BHAVAN, DO.DO. 40. K. KRISHNAN ACHARI, KALA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 41. A. SASIKUMAR, MARIA MOUNT, DO.DO. 42. KOCHAPPI APPU, LEELA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 43. LILLY BHARGAVI, SASI BHAVAN, DO.DO. O.P. 24837/1999 :3: 44. A. SUKUMARAN, SANTA SADANAM, DO.DO. 45. MARKOSE APPUKUTTAN, PANKAJA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 46. A. NELSON, VALSALA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 47. SIVATHANU SOMANKUTTY, LEELA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 48. RAJEEB S., SARADA BHAVAN, DO.DO. 49. M.S. RAJANI, VRINDAVANAM HOUSE, DO.DO. 50. K. SUDHAKARAN, ALUNKAL HOUSE, DO.DO. 51. GEORGE VARGHESE, MULLANARICKAL VEEDU, DO.DO. 52. LEELAMMA THARKAPPAN, THEKKUPURATHU HOUSE, DO.DO. 53. S. PUSHPAN, ALUNGAL HOUSE, DO.DO. 54. S. SOMAN, EDAKKOD VEEDU, DO.DO. 55. P.S. DANESH, PADIPPURACKAL HOUSE, DO.DO. 56. REJI DEVASYA, VATTAPPALLIL HOUSE, DO.DO. 57. XAVIER JOSEPH, NJARALAKKATTU HOUSE, DO.DO. 58. JOSE DEVASSIA, ETTUNICL HOUSE, DO.DO. 59. SURESH A.S., ALUNGAL HOUSE, DO.DO. 60. DINESH S., GOURI SADANAM, DO.DO. 61. S. THAMPI, PANANGATHERI VEEDU, DO.DO. 62. JOSE JULLIET, KURISSINGEL VEEDU, DO.DO. 63. K.T. USHA, KOCHUMAROTTICKAL, DO.DO. 64. K.K. SAJEEVAN, KAIPPADAMALAYIL, DO.DO. 65. JOSEPH ALEXANDER, UPPANMACKAL, DO.DO. 66. T. THANKAMMA, PARAVILAYIL, DO.DO. 67. P.V. VINCENT, VADAKKUMCHERIL , DO.DO. BY ADV. SRI.D.SREEKUMAR O.P. 24837/1999 :4: RESPONDENTS: 1. THE STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE PRIN CIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, IDUKKI DISTRICT. 3. THE TAHSILDAR, DEVIKULAM, IDUKKI. 4. THE VILLAGE OFFICER, MANKULAM VILLAGE, DEVIKULAM TALUK. ADDITIONAL RESPONDENT NO:- 5. ASSISTANT CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS, MANKULAM. (IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 26.7.2004 IN I.A. NO. 9607/2004). GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI. R. LAKSHMINARAYANAN. SPL. GOVERNMENT PLEADER (FORESTS) SRI. M.P. PRAKASH. ADDL. ADVOCATE GENERAL SRI. VENGANOOR CHANDRASEKHARAN NAIR. THIS ORIGINAL PETITION HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 13/03/2008, ALONG WITH OP NO.25717/1999 AND OTHER CONNECTED CASES, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: O.P. 24837/1999 :5: O.P. NO. 24837/1999 ORDER ON CMP NOS: 41774 & 53636/1999 & I.A. NO. 10802/2005 IN O.P. 24837/1999 // DISMISSED // 13.3.2008. SD/-, P.R. RAMAN, JUDGE. SD/-, V.K. MOHANAN, JUDGE. APPENDIX PETITIONERS' EXHIBITS: EXT.P1 TRUE COPY OF POSTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CERTIFICATE DATED 6.7.1998 OF SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS. EXT.P2 SERIES TRUE COPY OF EVICTION ORDER ISSUED BY 3RD RESPONDENT. EXT.P3 TRUE COPY OF GAZETTE NOTIFICATION DATED 9.8.1999 CONTAINING STAY OF EVICTION ACT. EXT.P4 TRUE COPY OF APPEAL PETITION SUBMITTED BY PETITIONERS TO FIRST RESPONDENT. EXT.P5 TRUE COPY OF COUNTER AFFIDAVIT DATED 20.3.1999 FILED BY 3RD RESPONDENT IN O.P. NO. 18828/98. EXT.P6 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION SUBMITTED BY ONE OF THE PETITIONERS DATED 6.12.1999 BEFORE THE REVENUE MINISTER. RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS: EXT.R5(a) TRUE COPY OF THE STAY ORDER IN W.A. 2599/99 DATED 23.6.2000. // TRUE COPY // P.S. TO JUDGE. KNC/- P.R. RAMAN & V.K. MOHANAN, JJ. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = O.P. NOS. 24837, 25717 & 32341/1999, 6347, 10563, 11587, 11632, 20588 32798 & 32842/2000, 8358/2001, 7570/2002, W.P.(C) NOS. 18918, 16393, 24180, 25424 & 26525/2004 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = DATED THIS, THE 13TH DAY OF MARCH, 2008. J U D G M E N T Raman, J. All the above writ petitions raises common question. Petitioners would aver that they are in possession of land in Kannan Devan Hills in their own legal rights. When steps were taken to evict them, by the Government, they approached this Court. In some of these original petitions, stay was granted by this court. Learned Advocate General, appearing on behalf of the State brought to our notice a notification issued by the Government under date 16.5.2007 (SRO 421/2007) whereunder by virtue of the powers conferred under Section 4 of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961, Government of Kerala declared that it is proposed to constitute the lands, the situation and limits of which are specified in the schedule shown therein as a reserved forest and appoint the Revenue Divisional Officer, Idukki, as the Forest Settlement Officer to enquire into and determine the existence, nature and extent of any right claimed by or alleged to exist in O.P. 24837/1999 & CON. CASES :2: favour of any person in over any land comprised within the limits of the proposed reserve forest or to any forest produce of such land and to deal with the same as provided in the said Act. The said notification further states that the Divisional Forest Officer, Munnar is appointed as the Officer to attend on behalf of the Government at the enquiry held by the Forest Settlement Officer as per the provisions of the said Act. 2. Accordingly, now that there is an adjudicating authority to consider the claim of the petitioners and those who are legally entitled to may raise their claim before the Settlement Officer, in accordance with the said notification. Such claims as is preferred before the Settlement officer will be considered as and when a notification in this behalf is issued. 3. In the circumstances, these writ petitions need not be kept pending before this court. We relegate the petitioners to approach the concerned authority as and when notice in this behalf is issued. The concerned authority shall look into the claims in each of such cases, adjudicate the same and pass separate orders. Until such time, status quo as on today will continue. It is also open to the petitioners, in case they are aggrieved by any orders that may be passed by the officer, to approach this Court at a later occasion. O.P. 24837/1999 & CON. CASES :3: The writ petitions are closed. P.R. RAMAN, (JUDGE) V.K. MOHANAN, (JUDGE) knc/- O.P. 24837/1999 & CON. CASES :4: P.R. RAMAN & V.K. MOHANAN, JJ. = = == = = = = = = = = O.P. NOS. 24837, 25717 & 32341/1999, 6347, 10563, 11587, 11632, 20588, 32798 & 32842/2000, 8358 /2001, 7570/2002, W.P.(C) NOS. 18918, 16393, 24180, 25424 & 26525/2004. J U D G M E N T 13TH MARCH, 2008.