Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jun 26: The court of the assistant commissioner (AC) at Puttur has declared the property acquisition by SDM Education Society at Ujire as invalid. The court has accordingly ordered the concerned to change the ownership of these properties as 'government'. This verdict was read out in open court on June 22 this year.

This was stated by president of Guruvayanakere Nagarika Seva Trust, K Somanath Nayak. Founder trustee of this trust, Ranjan Rao Yardur, had filed a complaint about this issue with the AC, who found that the acquisitions were illegal. As many as 25 such mutations spread over Beltangady, Ujire, Odilnala and Kuvettu totalling to 131 acres of land stand cancelled, he added.

The society had acquired 131 acres of land spread over 71 different survey numbers. However, as per Karnataka Land Reforms Act section 63, sub-section 7, an institution or organization which is not a trust, or any academic religious or charity organization cannot legally own property which has the capacity to create income. The purchase, made as per the proceedings of Mysuru subdivisonal officer in 1993, and the mutation order passed by Beltangady tahsildar thereafter under powers vested by him have now been cancelled by the subdivisional officer, after finding them to be violating legal provisions.

As per Land Reforms Act, organizations and institutions are not vested with the power to acquire agricultural land afresh after the law came into force. Puttur assistant commissioner said in the order that as per section 80 of the act too, there is no provision for buying agricultural land. He felt that the sub-registrar, before registering agricultural land in the name of SDM Education Society, did not take care not to violate norms and rules.The tahsildar too had violated the act in passing orders of mutation, he observed.

After a person named Ranjan Rao complained to the assistant commissioner Puttur about the agricultural properties owned by the sbove society, the commissioner had held hearings between May 18, 2015 to June 6, 2015.

President of the society, Dr D Veerendra Heggade, has said that SDM Education Society has been registered as per Societies Act, and that it runs public interest and educational institutions as well as rural development and welfare measures. In his letter to the subdiviisonal officer at Mysuru, he had sought permission to acquire agricultural land, stating that income from it would be used for the above purposes. The subdivisional officer at Mysuru had accordingly passed proceedings recommending acquisition of agricultural land.

This development has come at a time when the cabinet has taken a decision to raise the income limit for those willing to acquire agricultural land, substantially. The order now passed by the assistant commissioner's court at Puttur has kicked up lot of interest. Further developments are awaited.