HC orders status quo on memorial of spiritual leader

Dharmadhikari,who died in Pune in 2008,has a huge following in the state. He had devoted 60 years of his life in public service in Raigad district on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.

On March 28,2011,the urban development department had directed the Raigad collector to take possession of the land. On the same day,the collector took possession of the land and made entries in the land record,the petition filed by Ashok Raut and Prabhakar Raut alleged.

The petition has taken objection to the acquisition of land for erecting memorial for the spiritual leader,saying the land is currently used for grazing cattle and this practice has been going on for ages.

Also,proper procedures were not followed in land acquisition,it alleged.

The petition argued that the collector had not given a hearing to the villagers on the acquisition of land,against the principle of natural justice,adding that the decision violated their fundamental rights.

They cited a rule that if the possession of land is with gram panchayat,the government can acquire it only if the land is needed for a national or state development project,provided the gram panchayat does not require the land.

The petitioners had urged the court to quash the urban development department’s order and grant a status quo on the project.