CJ directs TN not to demolish the Vanniar Sangam building
A petitioner K Arumugam, the secretary of Vanniar Sangam moved the Madras High Court (MHC) seeking to quash the notice issued by the government to possess the land of Vanniar Sangam.
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CHENNAI: The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court orders the Tamil Nadu government not to demolish the Vanniar Sangam building and to maintain the status quo until further orders.
A petitioner K Arumugam, the secretary of Vanniar Sangam moved the Madras High Court (MHC) seeking to quash the notice issued by the government to possess the land of Vanniar Sangam.
According to the petitioner, the Vanniar Sangam is functioning on 41952 Square feet of land situated at St.Thomas Mount, Chennai. The land was purchased by the Sangam from a private party several decades ago. From then, the Vanniar Sangam established a hostel in the said land to accommodate the economically weaker students to pursue higher education, said the petitioner.
Now the Arulmigu Kasi Viswanathar temple, Vadapalani, Chennai is claiming the ownership of the land. An executive petition is pending in the court regarding this dispute, said the petitioner.
On March 6, 2023, the government issued a notice to vacate the Sangam from the land, subsequently on August 4, the Sangam and the students who were in the hostel were forcefully evicted with the help of police, the petitioner submitted.
The case was heard by the first division bench of the MHC comprising Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice P D Audikesavalu.
The Senior counsel N L Raja appeared for the petitioner, contended that the government lacks jurisdiction to evict the Sangam from the land. He argued that there were poor students staying in the hostel and the police forcefully evicted them.
The belongings of the students are still in the hostel, and sought to quash the notice and allow the students to stay in the hostel.
Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran appeared for the state said that there was no response from the Sangam despite several notices to them. Further, he inclined that the state would accommodate the students and asked the petitioner to issue the details of the student.
After the submissions, the bench directed the government not to demolish the Vanniar Sangam building and maintain the status quo. The case is posted to August 22, for further hearing.
