The Madras High Court’s order can also be seen as the fallout of the State government failing to bring into force the amended Section 22A of the Registration Act for nearly eight years.
The provision, which prevents registration of sale deeds relating to plots in unapproved layouts, was introduced by way of an amendment in 2008.
“It is more than a failure. It was intentionally and deliberately not notified and not implemented,” said M.G.Devasahayam, former administrator, Chandigarh Capital Project. It was around that time several approvals were granted for multi-storied building projects . Rampant approvals in violation of rules were made then, Mr. Devasahayam said.
“There is nothing new in the High Court order. The CMDA had in 2007 instructed local bodies not to give approval for any layouts measuring 1,000 square metres,” said a former member secretary of the planning agency.
According to advocate G.Shyam Sundar, one possible option available to the government was to accord post facto approval or regularisation or ratification. The hard-earned money of low income group families could be safeguarded only through such a measure, he said.
