Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has instructed District Police Chief P.N. Unnirajan to take action on the orders passed by Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) chairman J.B. Koshy for registering individual cases against Eramam-Kuttoor grama panchayat officials responsible for demolishing the compound wall of a house allegedly for widening a road in clear violation of court orders.
A press release issued by the KSHRC on Wednesday said the Chief Minister’s directive followed the commission’s orders on a complaint alleging that the panchayat members and the secretary had demolished the compound wall of the house of one G.P. Mathew.
The Local Self-Government Department Secretary had told the KSHRC that the road-widening was done not as per the decision of the panchayat. The KSHRC press release said Mr. Mathew had objected to the attempts to widen the panchayat road.
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The complainant had also secured an injunction order from the High Court when he apprehended forcible takeover of the land. The complaint was that the panchayat authorities had demolished the wall in spite of the court injunction.
‘Criminal offence’
The KSHRC, in its order, said that under Article 300 A of the Constitution no authorities, including panchayats, had the powers to encroach on land of an individual without his or her written consent. The panchayat officials who had demolished the compound wall in violation of the injunction had committed a criminal offence, according to the KSHRC.
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The complaint had been filed by Mr. Mathew’s son Fr. Philip Mathew.
Demolition of compound wall of a house without owner’s consent for road-widening