IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANTONY DOMINIC MONDAY, THE 5TH APRIL 2010 / 15TH CHAITHRA 1932 WP(C).No. 9373 of 2010(V) ------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------- 1. KUTTAPPAN, 63 YEARS, S/O.PADMANABHAN, PUTHENKANDATHIL HOUSE, CHERUTHANA, CHERUTHANA.P.O, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT. 2. V.K.VASUDEVAN, 70 YEARS, S/O.KUNJUKUNJU, MANOJ BHAVAN HOUSE, CHERUTHANA, CHERUTHANA.P.O, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT. 3. ALEXANDER GEORGE, 46 YEARS, S/O.GEORGE, KUTTISHERIL PUTHENPURACKAL HOUSE, CHERUTHANA, CHERUTHANA.P.O, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT. 4. LIZY JACOB, 43 YEARS, W/O.JACOB GEORGE,KUTTISHERIL PUTHENPURACKAL HOUSE, CHERUTHANA, CHERUTHANA.P.O, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT. BY ADV. SRI.A.ABDUL LATHEEF RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. THE CHIEF SECRETARY, GOVT.OF KERALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, ALAPPUZHA. 3. RASHEEDA BEEVI, SPECIAL THAHSILDAR, L.A.RAILWAY, KAYAMKULAM. 4. GENERAL MANAGER, SOUTHERN MANAGER, CHENNAI-600 003. 5. DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER (CONSTRUCTION), SOUTHERN RAILWAY, ERNAKULAM SOUTH. 6. DIVISIONAL RAILWAY MANAGER, SOUTHERN RAILWAY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ADV. SRI.N.B.SUNIL NATH,SC, RAILWAYS FOR R5,6 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 05/04/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ANTONY DOMINIC, J. -------------------------------------------------- W.P.(C) NO.9373 OF 2010 (V) -------------------------------------------------- Dated this the 5th day of April, 2010 J U D G M E N T Challenge in this writ petition is against Ext.P2. A direction to the respondents not to enter the petitioners' property without formal notice is also sought. 2. According to the petitioner's, without giving notices, survey stones have been planted deep inside their properties. It is stated that this has been done mala fide by the 3rd respondent. Further contention is that although only 5 meters property alone is required to be acquired for widening railway lines, survey stones have been planted 25 meters inside the property. 3. A reading of Ext.P1 shows that it is a notification issued by the respondents under Section 6 of the Kerala Surveys and Boundaries Act 1960. As per this section, where survey is ordered for the purpose or in connection with the acquisition of any land, notification under Section 6(1) has to be published in the gazette or in two daily newspapers, which in the opinion of the Survey Officer have vide circulation in the locality where the land proposed to be acquired is situated. WPC.No. 9373/2010 :2 : 4. According to the Government Pleader Ext.P1 notification was published in the gazette on 26.2.2009, in the Deshabhimani daily on 25.4.2009 and also in Malayala Manorama on 26.4.2009. Therefore there is compliance with Section 6(1) of the Survey and Boundaries Act 1960. Standing counsel for the Railway also informs that the land in question has been identified for widening the railway lines and that it was in pursuance to the aforesaid decision Ext.P1 notification was published. Therefore, non compliance of Section 6 of the Act cannot be alleged. 5. The other contention of the learned counsel for the petitioners is that though what is required is only land having the width of 5 meters, survey stones have been placed 25 meters inside their property. In my view this by itself does not vitiate the acquisition proceedings initiated by the respondents as it is for the respondents to decide on the extent of land to be acquired for the project under implementation. Writ petition fails and is dismissed. (ANTONY DOMINIC) JUDGE vi/ WPC.No. 9373/2010 :3 :