Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Mulageni Okkalu Rakshana Vedike, which has been fighting for the abolition of Mulageni tenancy system in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, on Sunday January 8 stressed that according to the Mulageni act, a tenant is entitled to enjoy the property he resides in, permanently, and right to the property is inheritable. Applications are invited for granting ownership right to tenants, via a competent authority. This was conveyed at the sixth annual general body meeting of the Vedike, at Don Bosco Hall here.

At the meeting, Vedike legal advisor, Gowrishankar said, "The long-standing demands to confer ownership to tenants under Mulageni or Volamulageni Tenants Act, 2012, has come into force. The coastal districts have wanted the right of the landlord to be invested in the tenants to enjoy the ownership of the property. The state legislature of Karnataka has accepted the requests of the Moolageni tenants, and conferred ownership through the Moolageni Tenanats Act 2012 that was unamimously passed in 2012."

"The guidelines and gazette notification were supposed to be formed, nothing has been done yet. There was much opposition from the landlords as they challenged the validity of this act, and filed a writ petition before the state high court where the matter still stands pending. Though the landlords filed a petition before the high court for granting a stay order, the high court did not pass any order for stay. The act came into force on November 7, 2016," he said.

"The Mulageni tenants are filing applications before the competent authority under the Act for granting ownership right to them. They are willing to pay the compensation as laid down in the act, which is 1000 times the annual geni. The process of filing the applications and holding inquiry on such applications must continue," said Gowrishankar, emphasising there was no 'stay' granted by the state high court.

He expressed gratitude towards revenue minister Kagodu Thimmappa for taking the initiative to enforce the act that was pending for three years. He was also grateful to MLC Ivan D'Souza for showing concern towards tenants and for raising his voice in the assembly, regarding the same, which helped towards enforcing rules for Permanent Mulageni Act.

"The Vedike will appoint a member to guide tenants to file the application as per the procedure of the Act," he added.

President, Mulageni Okkalu Rakshana Vedike, Maxim D'Souza, office-bearers of Mulageni Okkalu Rakshana Vedike, S S Kamath, Dasappa Kamath, Lilly D'Souza and others were present.