TN court directs imprisonment of District Collector, Tahsildar

Madurai: A local court at Melur near here directed on Thursday, that the Madurai District Collector and the Melur Tahsildhar be kept in civil jail for six weeks for “disobeying” its direction.

The Munsiff Suresh passed the order on a petition filed by Hussain Mohammed and Jawahar Aali, who sought to survey and sub-divide their land and provide separate land documents.

Earlier when they approached the District Collector and the Tahsildhar with the request, they did not take any steps. Following this, the petitioners approached the Munsiff court, which directed the officials to conduct survey of the land and provide sub-division pattas.

The Madras High Court here also upheld the Munsiff Court’s order directing the authorities to conduct survey and issue pattas.

However, the Tahsildhar did not work on the request on the matter despite the court order, following which the petitioners approached the Munsiff to take ‘contempt action’ against the District Collector and the Tahsildhar.

The Munsiff, who heard the case on Thursday, directed that the two officials be put in civil jail for six weeks and also seize their vehicles for “disobedience” of the court order.

PTI