IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED :
20. 06.2014 Coram The Honourable Mr.Justice B.RAJENDRAN W.P. No.15930 of 2014 R.Jayavelan ...Petitioner Vs. The Tahsildar Cuddalore Cuddalore District. ...Respondent Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the respondent pertaining to order made in L.Dis.A-6-420-2014, dated 24.01.2014 and quash the same and consequently, to direct the respondent to issue Legal Heirship Certificate of the deceased Subburayan and his wife Vijayavalli within a reasonable time as may be fixed by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.N.Anand Venkatesh For Respondent : Mr.T.Pramod Kumar Chopda ORDER
The Writ Petition has been filed seeking to quash the order of the respondent made in L.Dis.A-6-420-2014, dated 24.01.2014 and to direct the respondent to issue legal heirship certificate of the deceased Subburayan and his wife Vijayavalli within a reasonable time as may be fixed by this Court.
2. The petitioner's grandparents died in the year 1988. According to the petitioner, he has applied for Legal Heirship Certificate before the respondent on 04.01.2014 listing out all the names of the legal heirs of his late grandparents. The respondent by the impugned order dated 24.01.2014 rejected the application of the petitioner on the ground that enquiry cannot be conducted after 25 years of death of the grandparents. Hence, the petitioner is before this Court.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner, at the time of arguments produced a copy of the order in W.P.No.6819 of 2010, passed by this Court on 06.04.2010, wherein, this Court, in similar circumstances, has relied on the letter issued by the Government in Letter No.1534, dated 28.11.1991 addressed to all the District Collectors, wherein, certain guidelines were laid and the procedure to be followed in the issuance of Legal Heirship Certificate were given.
4. The learned counsel for the respondent would submit that the petitioner is seeking the relief without producing any documents. He would further submit that the petitioner should first of all produce the documents along with the application.
5. Heard both sides. By consent, the main Writ Petition itself is taken up for final disposal.
6. In similar circumstances, this Court in W.P.No.6819 of 2010 has passed an order on 06.04.2010, by relying on the letter issued by the Government in Letter No.1534 dated 28.11.1991 addressed to all the District Collectors. For better appreciation, the contents in the letter is extracted hereunder:- thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Fjy; - eilKiw jkpH;ehL muR g[dpj $hh;$; nfhl;il tUtha;j;Jiw brd;id 9. fojk; (epiy) vz;/1534. Ehs;:
28. 11/1991 mDg;g[eh;: bgWeh;: jpU/V/rPj;jhuhk; jh!;. ,/M/g. midj;J khtl;lhl;rpah;fs; rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; muR brayh;/ bghUs;: rhd;wpjH;fs; - tl;lhl;rpah;fs; - thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Fjy; - rpy tHpKiwfs; tFf;fg;gLfpd;wd/ ghh;it:
1. murhid (epiy) vz;/2906. tUtha; ehs;:
4. 11/81 2/khepy fzf;fhahpd; g;gp tp5/1/nf 353/791 748/82- 83/957. ehs;:
3. 1/83 3/rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; tUtha; eph;thf Mizahpd; f;a[/55466 /85-15. ehs;:
8. 3/85 4/rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; tUtha; eph;thf Mizahpd; e/f/32669/89. (f;a[/2) ehs;:
20. 06/90 ghh;it xd;wpy; fz;Ls;s murhizapy; Fwpg;gpl;Ls;sgo tl;lhl;rpah;fs; thhpR rhd;wpjH;fs; tH';FtJ bjhlh;ghf rpy tHpKiwfs; tFf;f khepy fzf;fhah; tH';fpa[s;s Mnyhridapd; mog;gilapy; rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; tUtha; eph;thf MizaUld; fye;J Ma;t[ bra;ag;gl;lJ/ 2/tl;lhl;rpah;fs;. thhpR rhd;wpjH; tH';Fjy; bjhlh;ghd tHpKiwfs; (guidelines) kw;Wk; eilKiwfs; (procedure) gw;wp tUtha; eph;thf Mizah; Mnyhrid tH';fpaJld;. mt;thW thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';f Xh; gl;oiaa[k; (format) Fwpg;gpl;Ls;shh;/ muR. thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Fjy; bjhlh;ghf rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; tUtha; eph;thf Mizah; tH';fpa[s;s Mnyhridfisa[k; gl;oiaa[k; (format) Vw;W mitfs; bray;Kiwg;gLj;j xg;g[jy; mspf;fpwJ/ mitfs; ,f;fojj;Jld; ,izf;fg;gl;Ls;sd/ mitfisj; jtwhJ gpd;gw;WkhW nfl;Lf; bfhs;fpnwd;/ 3/rpy tl;lhl;rpah;fs; tH';Fk; thhpRr; rhd;wpjH;fspy; ".MWkhjj;jpw;F kl;Lnk bry;YgoahFk;". (valid for six months only) vd;Wk; ".mit chpik ,ay; ePjpkd;w';fspy; bry;yhJ". (not valid in any Court of law) vd;Wk; epge;jid thrf';fs; vGjg;gl;oUg;gjhf bjhpfpwJ/ tl;lhl;rpah;fshy; tH';fg;gLk; thhpRr; rhd;wpjH;fisa[k; ePjpkd;w';fshy; 1925 Mk; Mz;L ,e;jpa neuo thhpRr;rl;lj;jpd; fPH; tH';fg;gLk; neuo thhpRr; rhd;wpjH;fisa[k; rkkhf fUj KoahJ/ nkYk; epge;jidfs; tpjpg;gjw;F tpjpKiwfspy; tif ,y;iy/ vdnt thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Fk;nghJ nkny Fwpg;gpl;Ls;s epge;jidfs; vija[k; tpjpf;f ntz;lhk; vdf; nfl;Lf; bfhs;fpnwd;/ 4/nkw;fz;l Mizfspd; mog;gilapy;. bjhlh;g[ila midj;J mYtyh;fSf;Fk; jFe;j mwpt[Wj;j';fs; tH';FkhWk; nfl;Lf; bfhs;fpnwd;/ 5/,f;fojj;ijg; bgw;W bfhz;likf;fhf xg;g[ifia cld; mDg;gp itf;FkhW nfhUfpnwd;/ j';fs; ek;gpf;ifa[s;s (Xk;) nf/tp/Rg;gpukzpad; rpwg;g[ Mizah; kw;Wk; muR brayUf;fhf ,izg;g[ tpjpKiwfs; 1/neuo thhpRjhuh;fSf;F thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Ftjpy; jw;nghJs;s eilKiwapd;go tl;lhl;rpanu rhd;W tH';Fjy; ntz;Lk;/ 2/neuo thhpR my;yhj fPH;fz;l ,d';fisg; bghWj;jtiu tl;lhl;rpah; thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; tH';Ftijj; jtph;j;J.
chpikapay; ePjpkd;w';fs; K:ykhfg; bgw;W bfhs;s kDjhuh;fs; mwpt[Wj;j ntz;Lk;/ m/,we;jth;fSf;F xd;Wf;F nkw;gl;l kidtp/fztd; ,Ue;jhYk;. mth;fSf;F FHe;ijfs; ,Ue;jhYk; ghfg;gphptpid jfuhW mth;fSf;Fs; ,Ug;gjhf tprhuizapy; bjhpa tUk;nghJk;. M/VG Mz;Lfshf FLk;gjijtpl;L tpyFk; egh;fis ,we;jth;fshff; fUjp thhpR rhd;W tH';Fk; epiyik Vw;gLk;nghJk;. ,/tl;l vy;iyf;Fs; FoapUg;g[ ,y;yhkYk; tPL kw;Wk; brhj;J ,y;yhky; btsp khtl;l';fspy; trpj;Jf; bfhz;L tl;lhl;rpahplk; thf;FK:yk; bfhLf;f tprhuizf;F tuhj epiy Vw;gLk;nghJk;. /,we;jth;fSf;F FHe;ijfs; ,y;yhj epiyapy; kw;w FHe;ijfis tsh;j;J tUk;nghJk;/ 3/neuo thhpRjhuh;fSf;F thhpRr; rhd;wpjH; ntz;Lgth;. ,we;jnghdthpd; ,wg;g[r; rhd;wpjiH ,izj;J.
Kj;jpiu fl;lztpy;iy xl;o rk;ge;jg;gl;l tl;lhl;rpaUf;F kD bra;a ntz;Lk;/ ,t;thW bgwg;gLk; kD rk;ge;jg;gl;l tUtha; Ma;thsUf;F chpa tprhuizf;fhf mDg;gg;gl ntz;Lk;/ 4/rk;ge;jg;gl;l tUtha; Ma;th; kw;Wk; fpuhk eph;thf mYtyh; Mfpnahh; tl;lhl;rpah; mYtyfj;jpypUe;J kD tug;bgw;wt[ld;. rk;ge;jg;gl;l kDjhuh; trpf;Fkplj;jpw;F brd;W Kjypy; kDjhuiua[k; mth;jk; FLk;gj;jpYs;s midtiua[k;. gpd;dh; mtuJ cwtpdh;fs;. mz;iltPl;lhh; kw;Wk; bghJkf;fs; Mfpnahiua[k; ed;F tprhuiz bra;J mth;fsplkpUe;J thf;FK:yk; bgw;Wf; bfhs;s ntz;Lk;/ FLk;g ml;il. ,we;JnghdtUf;F brhe;jkhd brhj;Jf;fs;. capy;. jpUkzg;gj;jphpf;iffs; kw;Wk; mtuhy; tpl;Lr; bry;yg;gl;l Vida Mtz';fs; Kjyhd midj;ija[k; ed;F ghprPyid bra;J ,we;Jnghdthpd; thhpRjhuh;fs; ahh; ahh; vd;gija[k; mjw;fhd tptu';fisa[k; mwpf;ifahfj; bjhFj;J tl;lhl;rpaUf;F mDg;g ntz;Lk;/ 5/tUtha; Ma;thshpd; mwpf;if fpilf;fg; bgw;wt[ld; tl;lhl;rpah; mjid ed;F ghprPyid bra;a ntz;Lk;/ ghprPyidf;Fg;gpd; ,we;Jnghdthpd; thhpRjhuh;fs; ahh;. ahh; vd;gij jPh;f;fkhf cWjp bra;a ntz;Lk;/ re;njfg;gLk; ,d';fspy;. rk;ge;jg;gl;l kDjhuiunah my;yJ mtuJ FLk;gj;jpdh;/cwtpdh; my;yJ mt;t{iur; nrh;e;j bghJkf;fs; vtiunaDk;. my;yJ ntW Mtz';fs; vnjnaDk; nfl;L bgw;nwh. tl;lhl;rpah; Kot[ bra;ayhk; 6/,we;J nghd eghpd; thhpRjhuh;fs; ahh; ahh; vd;gij re;njfj;jpw;fplkpd;wp Kot[ bra;j gpd; thhpR rhd;wpjH; tH';fg;gl ntz;Lk;/ 7. From the perusal of the guidelines above extracted, it is evident that when an application for Legal Heirship Certificate is received, the authority concerned shall enquire into the matter through the Revenue Officer as well as the Village Administrative Officer as to the place where the claimant resides, firstly with the family members and thereafter, with the relatives and neighbours and thereafter, the people in the locality by getting statements and also to verify the family card, the land documents of the deceased, any Will executed by the deceased, the Marriage Invitations and any other document left out by the deceased and send a report to the Tahsildar concerned. After receipt of the report, the Tahsildar has to consider, who are all the legal heirs of the deceased. If the Tahsildar entertains any doubt, he has to obtain further documents or statements to clear the doubts and only thereafter, he shall issue the Legal Heirship Certificate.
8. The impugned order nowhere states that the said procedures are followed, which is the guideline issued by the Government. Hence, following the order passed by this Court in W.P.No.6819 of 2010, dated 06.04.2010,the Writ Petition is allowed and the impugned order is set aside and the matter is remitted back to the respondent, who in turn shall first issue notice to the petitioner and on the petitioner producing all the relevant documents and evidence, which are available with him, the respondent is directed to consider the request of the petitioner seeking Legal Heirship Certificate in accordance with the procedure laid down in the guidelines extracted above and pass fresh orders on merits, within a period of six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The petitioner is directed to send a copy of this order to the respondent by Registered Post, within one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs. 20.06.2014 paa Index: Yes/No Note: Issue on 25.06.2014 To The Tahsildar Cuddalore Cuddalore District. B.RAJENDRAN,J paa W.P.No.15930 of 2014 20.06.2014