An order cancelling the mutation of 400-acre municipal corporation land in Gwal Pahari has kicked up a controversy even though a section of revenue officials believe that the order of the former Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, T.L. Satyaprakash, had not changed the real ownership of the land and the matter is being “blown out of proportion”.
Mr. Satyaprakash passed the order last month declaring as “illegal” the mutation of the land, which is disputed between the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram and a private firm. “Mutation was carried out in violation of orders of two Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) as well as the civil court. Hence this mutation no. 3249, its process and procedure are all void ab initio,” said the order by Mr. Satyaprakash. It further said that mutation had nothing to do with the land title and “quashing it on the basis of its legal validity will neither change the possession nor alienate the land from the real ownership”.
The decision was seen by many as “favouring” the private firm. Some revenue officials, however, said the order was based on facts presented.
Stay on order
MCG Commissioner V. Uma Shankar claimed that the orders of the FCRs and Mr. Satyaprakash were with respect to different mutations and hence, the orders of the latter need to be challenged. The MCG has secured stay on the mutation order and issued notices to over 200 individuals to vacate the land.
Sources in Chandigarh hinted that there was more to the controversy than met the eye. According to them, the controversy is an outcome of a tug-of-war among bureaucrats as not all are happy with the elevation of Mr. Satyaprakash as Director, Town and Country Planning, which is considered a plum post.
