Chief Justice quashes government order against Vanniyar Sangam
CHENNAI: The Chief Justice of Madras High Court (MHC) has quashed the government order, initiating eviction proceedings against Vanniyar Sangam Building in St. Thomas Mount, Chennai and directed the state to initiate appropriate action as per law Is.
The MHC first division bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharat Chakraborty pronounced the final order in the petition filed by Vanniyar Sangam, seeking quashing of the notice issued by the government for eviction from the building.
The bench quashed the eviction proceedings initiated by the government as the Cantonment Board, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Hindu Religious and Endowments Department (HR&CE) are claiming ownership of the land.
According to the petitioner, Vanniyar Sangam is running on 41952 square feet of land located at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai.
Sangam had purchased this land from a private party several decades ago. The petitioner said, since then, Vanniyar Sangam established a hostel in the said land for the economically weaker students to pursue their higher education.
Now Arulmigu is claiming ownership of the Kasi Vishwanath Temple, Vadapalani, Chennai land. The petitioner said, an executive petition regarding this dispute is pending in the court.
On March 6, 2023, the government issued a notice to vacate Sangam from the land, later on August 4, Sangam and the students present in the hostel were forcefully evicted with the help of police.
