Kerala - Kochi   

High Court declines to stall demolitions

Special Correspondent

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest writ petition seeking a direction to the Government and the revenue authorities to take over the unauthorised buildings on encroached Government land in Munnar, instead of demolishing the buildings.

Terming the writ petitioner(s) as "nothing but an interloper who wants to espouse the cause of resort owners", the Bench comprising Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice K.T. Sankaran observed that it did not intend to encourage this type of "shadow boxing".

The court said that the petition was devoid of merit.

The petition was filed by Boban Varghese of Kuthattukulam in Ernakulam district and another person.

Status quo ordered

A Division Bench of the High Court on Monday ordered the Special Task Force, which is tasked with evicting encroachers in Munnar, to maintain status quo for two weeks with respect to the demolition of a resort of the Abad Motels and Resorts.

The Bench comprising Justice P.R. Raman and Justice K. Hema issued the directive when the petition challenging the constitution of the Special Task Force and the stop memo issued to the hotel group came up.

Oral stay

Justice Siri Jagan on Monday orally directed the Special Task Force not to demolish the buildings of the Dhanyasri Yathri Nivas in Munnar. The oral direction came on a writ petition filed by the owner of the resort.

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