Chennai: The district revenue officer of Kancheepuram was penalised for negligence and delay in rectifying errors in land records.
L Manoharan's battle for justice began in 2011 when he discovered an error in land records of his 40-cent property in Vallam village in Sriperumbudur. For years, he pursued correction of the mix-up under the updating registry (UDR) scheme, where the land extents for two plots—S.No. 174/4A and 174/4B—were mistakenly interchanged.
Despite repeated representations and even a survey confirming the error, the Revenue Department not only failed to rectify the mistake but also cancelled the patta of his late father, Lakshmanan, adding to the distress.
After exhausting all avenues, Manoharan turned to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kancheepuram District. Last month, the commission ruled in his favour, holding the Revenue Department accountable for its negligence and delay in addressing the issue.
The commission found that the department's actions amounted to a deficiency in service, stating that a statutory body is obligated to provide accurate records and timely responses. The order mandates the correction of patta entries to reflect the accurate extent of the land, or alternatively, compensation equivalent to the land's market value.
In addition, the commission ordered the Revenue Department to pay 5 lakh for the mental agony caused, 25,000 in litigation costs, and a 9% annual interest on delayed payments.