A.M. Raveendran V. Thalassery Municipality and Sri C. Biju

WP(C)/3119/2020

AI Insights

The case involves A.M. Raveendran, the sole owner of a shopping complex, who challenged the notices and actions taken by the Thalassery Municipality regarding unauthorized constructions in his property. The municipality issued notices under Section 411 of the Kerala Municipality Act, citing safety violations such as blocked fire escapes and unauthorized structures. Raveendran's petitions and replies to these notices were deemed insufficient to contest the municipality's findings. The court, after considering the arguments and evidence, upheld the municipality's actions, emphasizing the importance of public safety and compliance with municipal regulations.

• Counselvise Citation: [2020] 140 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 814651 (HC-KERALA)
• Appeal Type: Others
• Pronouncement Date: 05-02-2020
• Assessment Year: misc
• Laws Referred To: Kerala Municipality Act
• Result in Favour of: Revenue
• Court: HIGH COURT
• Department Lawyers: I V PRAMOD
• Assessee Lawyers: C P MOHAMMED NIAS
• Keywords: Building Permit; Municipality; Natural Justice; Unauthorized Construction; Writ petition; Fire Escape
• Section: 411; 406(1); 406(2)

Judgement Text

"IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT RAWAL WEDNESDAY, THE 05TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2020/16TH MAGHA, 1941 WP(C).No.3119 OF 2020(L) PETITIONER: A.M.RAVEENDRAN AGED 69 YEARS S/O MANNAN (LATE), PEARL MANSION, VENUS CORNER, KODUVALLY, THALASSERY, KANNUR DISTRICT-670 101. BY ADV. SRI.C.P.MOHAMMED NIAS RESPONDENTS: 1 THALASSERY MUNICIPALITY M G ROAD, PALISSERY, THALASSERY-670 101,REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 2 SRI.C.BIJU OVERSEER, THALASSERY MUNICIPALITY, M G ROAD, PALISSERY, THALASSERY-670 101. SRI I V PRAMOD SC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 05.02.2020, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Wpc 3119/20 2 J UDGME NT T h e p e t i t i o n e r , A . M. R a v i n d r a n , i s t h e s o l e o wn e r o f a s h o p p i n g c o mp l e x i n r e s u r v e y No . 1 7 1 / 1 A , V e n u s C o r n e r , K o d u v a l l y , T h a l a s s e r y h a v i n g 2 8 r o o ms , wh i c h i s i n t h e j o i n t o wn e r s h i p o f p e t i t i o n e r a n d h i s b r o t h e r , wh o h a d a l r e a d y e x e c u t e d a r e l e a s e d e e d d a t e d 1 6 . 1 1 . 2 0 1 8 . T h e v a r i o u s r o o ms i n t h e s h o p p i n g c o mp l e x h a v e b e e n l e t o n l e a s e t o v a r i o u s t e n a n t s wh o a r e r u n n i n g v a r i e d b u s i n e s s e s . T h e a f o r e me n t i o n e d c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e s h o p p i n g c o mp l e x wa s d o n e 2 2 y e a r s a g o . Ho we v e r , n o c o mp l a i n t s o f a n y v i o l a t i o n s o f c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e b u i l d i n g p e r mi t o r t h e K e r a l a Mu n i c i p a l i t y A c t o r R u l e s f r a me d t h e r e u n d e r w e r e r a i s e d s o f a r . Ho we v e r , t o t h e u t t e r s u r p r i s e o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r , o n 2 6 . 1 2 . 1 9 9 9 , fi r s t r e s p o n d e n t a f fi x e d n o t i c e , E x t . P 1 u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 1 1 o f t h e K e r a l a Mu n i c i p a l i t y A c t o n t h e b a s i s o f a c o mp l a i n t f r o m B R D S e c u r i t y L t d a n d t h e P r e s i d e n t o f T h a l a s s e r y C o - o p e r a t i v e R u r a l B a n k , o n t h e b a s i s o f t h e o v e r s e e r ' s Wpc 3119/20 3 r e p o r t o f t h e Mu n i c i p a l c o u n c i l a l l e g i n g t h e f o l l o wi n g v i o l a t i o n s : - ( 1 ) T h e e n t r a n c e o f I n n e r C o u r t y a r d P a r k i n g o f t h e B u i l d i n g , h a s p e r ma n e n t l y c l o s e d , b l o c k i n g t h e v e h i c l e mo v e me n t s . ( 2 ) T h e u n a u t h o r i z e d c o n s t r u c t i o n o f R o o ms c o n d u c t e d o n t h e F i r s t F l o o r o f t h e B u i l d i n g , h a s b l o c k e d t h e wa y l e a d i n g t o t h e F i r e E s c a p e S t a i r - c a s e . ( 3 ) T h e F i r e E s c a p e S t a i r - c a s e i s f o u n d t o b e c l o s e d wi t h G r i l l , s o a s t o b e c o mi n g a n o e s c a p e s i t u a t i o n d u r i n g a F i r e d i s a s t e r . f o r r e mo v a l o f t h e u n a u t h o r i s e d c o n s t r u c t i o n t o b e d e mo l i s h e d wi t h i n 2 4 h o u r s , o n r e c e i p t o f n o t i c e f a i l i n g wh i c h d e mo l i t i o n wo u l d b e c a r r i e d o u t b y r e c o v e r i n g c o s t s . 2 . L e a r n e d c o u n s e l a p p e a r i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r s u b mi t s t h a t i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e a f o r e me n t i o n e d n o t i c e , p e t i t i o n e r fi l e d E x t . P 2 r e p l y s t a t i n g t h a t : “ R e g a r d i n g t h e a b o v e me n t i o n e d S h o p p i n g C o mp l e x , u n d e r my o wn e r s h i p , i t wa s i n f o r me d me i n t h e n o t i c e c i t e d i n r e f e r e n c e t h a t t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n c o mp l a i n t s a g a i n s t c l o s i n g t h e e n t r a n c e o f I n n e r C o u r t y a r d P a r k i n g o f t h e b u i l d i n g , Wpc 3119/20 4 p e r ma n e n t l y , b l o c k i n g t h e v e h i c l e mo v e me n t s , b e s i d e s c o n s t r u c t i o n s o f u n a u t h o r i z e d r o o ms e t c . I t wa s f u r t h e r i n f o r me d me t h a t s u c h c o n s t r u c t i o n s a r e u n a u t h o r i z e d wh i c h mu s t b e d e mo l i s h e d wi t h i n 2 4 H r s o n a c c e p t i n g t h e s a i d n o t i c e . Wh i l e I me n t i o n t h a t t h e r e a r e n o u n a u t h o r i z e d c o n s t r u c t i o n s o r u n l a wf u l b l o c k i n t h e b u i l d i n g , i t i s h e r e b y i n f o r me d t h a t t h e 2 4 H r s c i t e d i n t h e n o t i c e i s v e r y v e r y mi n i mu m o r t h e B u i l d i n g O wn e r t o s t u d y t h e i s s u e a n d t a k e s u i t a b l e me a s u r e s . B e i n g s o , a 7 d a y s t i me ma y p l e a s e b e p e r mi t t e d t o d o t h e n e e d f u l a n d i n f o r m t h e Mu n i c i p a l i t y . T h e B u i l d i n g O wn e r s h a l l b e a wa y f o r 4 d a y s t o a t t e n d c e r t a i n p r e - d e c i d e d ma t t e r s , wh i c h h a s a l s o c a u s e d f o r s u c h r e q u e s t . Wh i l e I e x p e c t y o u r f a v o u r a b l e r e p l y , I r e g r e t f o r t h e i n c o n v e n i e n c e t h i s l a t t e r ma y c a u s e t o y o u ” . T h e s u m a n d s u b s t a n c e o f t h e r e p l y wa s g r a n t i n g 7 d a y s ' t i me t o d o t h e n e e d f u l . E x t . P 2 p h o t o g r a p h s , 3 i n n u mb e r , r e fl e c t s t h a t t h e g r i e v a n c e h a d b e e n i n e x i s t e n c e f o r t h e l a s t 2 2 y e a r s a n d h o we v e r o n 0 1 . 0 1 . 2 0 2 0 , t h e y r e mo v e d t h e g r i l l s a n d E x t . P 5 n o t i c e d a t e d 0 7 . 0 1 . 2 0 2 0 wa s i s s u e d , c a l l i n g u p o n t h e p e t i t i o n e r t o p a y a n a mo u n t o f R s . 2 7 0 0 / - f o r c a r r y i n g o u t t h e wo r k . No t o n l y t h i s , E x t . P 6 n o t i c e f o r u n a u t h o r i s e d l y c o n s t r u c t i n g r o o ms o n t h e fi r s t fl o o r b l o c k i n g t h e wa y l e a d i n g t o t h e F i r e E s c a p e S t a i r - c a s e Wpc 3119/20 5 a n d r e mo v a l o f t h e s t a i r c a s e u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 0 6 ( 1 ) wa s i s s u e d d i r e c t i n g t o f u r n i s h r e p l y n o t i c e w i t h i n 1 5 d a y s . T h e e n t i r e e x e r c i s e h a s b e e n d o n e a t t h e b e h e s t o f t h e s e c o n d r e s p o n d e n t , O v e r s e e r wh o h a d b e e n n u r s i n g g r u d g e a n d r a n c o u r a g a i n s t t h e p e t i t i o n e r . T h e p r i n c i p l e s o f n a t u r a l j u s t i c e h a s b e e n fl o u t e d wi t h i mp u g n i t y . T h e r e i s n o s u c h p r o v i s i o n u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 1 1 o f t h e A c t t o u n d e r t a k e t h e t a s k w i t h i n 2 4 h o u r s , wh e n t h e p e t i t i o n e r i s c o n t e mp l a t e d t o fi l e r e p l y n o t i c e u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 0 6 ( 1 ) a n d 1 5 d a y s t i me h a s b e e n g r a n t e d . T h u s h e a p p r o a c h e d t h i s c o u r t f o r s e t t i n g a s i d e t h e o r d e r s u n d e r c h a l l e n g e . 3 . He a r d t h e c o u n s e l f o r b o t h s i d e s a n d p e r u s e d t h e p a p e r b o o k a n d o t h e r ma t e r i a l d o c u me n t s . T h e r e i s n o f o r c e o r me r i t i n t h e s u b mi s s i o n . S e c t i o n 4 1 1 o f K e r a l a Mu n i c i p a l i t y A c t r e a d s a s u n d e r : - “ P r e c a u t i o n s i n c a s e o f d a n g e r o u s s t r u c t u r e s – ( 1 ) Wh e r e a n y s t r u c t u r e i s d e e me d b y t h e S e c r e t a r y t o b e i n a r u i n o u s s t a t e a n d d a n g e r o u s t o t h e p a s s e r s - b y o r t o t h e o c c u p i e r s o f n e i g h b o u r i n g s t r u c t u r e s , t h e S e c r e t a r y ma y b y n o t i c e r e q u i r e t h e o wn e r o r o c c u p i e r o f s u c h s t r u c t u r e t o f e n c e o f f , t a k e d o wn , s e c u r e , d e mo l i s h o r r e p a i r t h e s a me s o Wpc 3119/20 6 a s t o p r e v e n t a n y d a n g e r t h e r e f r o m. ( 2 ) Wh e r e i mme d i a t e a c t i o n i s n e c e s s a r y , t h e S e c r e t a r y s h a l l , b e f o r e g i v i n g s u c h n o t i c e o r b e f o r e t h e p e r i o d o f s u c h n o t i c e e x p i r e s , c a u s e t o f e n c e o f f , t a k e d o wn , s e c u r e , d e mo l i s h o r r e p a i r s u c h s t r u c t u r e s , o r f e n c e o f f a p a r t o f a n y s t r e e t o r t a k e s u c h t e mp o r a r y me a s u r e s a s h e d e e ms fi t t o p r e v e n t d a n g e r , a n d t h e c o s t t h e r e o f s h a l l b e r e c o v e r a b l e f r o m t h e o wn e r o r o c c u p i e r i n t h e ma n n e r p r o v i d e d i n s e c t i o n 5 3 8 . ( 3 ) Wh e r e i n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e S e c r e t a r y t h e s a i d s t r u c t u r e i s i mmi n e n t l y d a n g e r o u s t o t h e i n ma t e s t h e r e o f , t h e S e c r e t a r y s h a l l o r d e r t h e i mme d i a t e e v a c u a t i o n t h e r e o f , a n d a n y p e r s o n d i s o b e y i n g t h e o r d e r ma y c a u s e t o b e r e mo v e d i f n e c e s s a r y , wi t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e b y a p o l i c e o f fi c e r ” . O n a p l a i n a n d s i mp l e r e a d i n g o f s u b - c l a u s e 2 o f S e c t i o n 4 1 1 , t h e S e c r e t a r y o f t h e Mu n i c i p a l i t y i s e mp o we r e d t o r e mo v e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e f e n c e b e f o r e t h e e x p i r y o f t h e n o t i c e . 4 . P r e c i s e l y , t h i s i s wh a t h a s b e e n d o n e i n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e . T h e r e c a n n o t b e a n y i o t a o f fl o u t i n g o f t h e s t a t u t o r y p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e A c t . D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f a r g u me n t s , i t wa s c o n t e n d e d t h a t t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e n o t i c e d i d n o t o n l y c o n fi n e t o r e mo v a l o f s t a i r c a s e , b u t o t h e r u n a u t h o r i s e d c o n s t r u c t i o n s , wh i c h i s Wpc 3119/20 7 a g a i n r e f e r r e d t o i n E x t . P 6 n o t i c e u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 0 6 . I a m a f r a i d , t h e wr i t p e t i t i o n i s b e r e f t o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r s a s t o wh e t h e r E x t . P 6 h a s b e e n r e p l i e d t o , wi t h i n t h e t i me r e f e r r e d t o t h e r e i n . B e t h a t a s i t ma y , n o s u c h ma t e r i a l h a s b e e n p r o d u c e d t o p r i ma f a c i e p r o v e t h a t . T h e b i l l s , l a b o u r c h a r g e s e t c o r a n y r e fl e c t i o n i n t h e i n c o me t a x r e t u r n s a r e wa n t i n g . C o n s i d e r i n g a l l t h e s e f a c t s , I a m o f t h e v i e w t h a t t h e i mp u g n e d a c t i o n o f t h e Mu n i c i p a l i t y i n r e mo v i n g t h e g r i l l s p e r t a i n i n g t o a c t i o n u n d e r S e c t i o n 4 0 6 ( 1 ) c o me s wi t h i n t h e s t a t u t o r y p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e A c t . I d o n o t fi n d a n y i l l e g a l i t y o r p e r v e r s i t y i n t h e a b o v e a c t i o n . No s u c h g r o u n d s a r e ma d e o u t b y t h e p e t i t i o n e r t o s u b s t a n t i a t e h i s c o n t e n t i o n s . T h e wr i t p e t i t i o n i s a c c o r d i n g l y d i s mi s s e d . S D / - A MI T R A WA L , J U D G E Lgk Wpc 3119/20 8 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: EXHIBIT P1 TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE DATED 26.12.2019 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER UNDER SECTION 411 OF THE KERALA MUNICIPALITY ACT EXHIBIT P1 (A) COPY OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE NOTICE DATED 26.12.2019 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER UNDER SECTION 411 OF THE KERALA MUNICIPALITY ACT EXHIBIT P2 TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER DATED 28.12.2019 SENT BY THE PETITIONER TO THE 1ST RESPONDENT EXHIBIT P2 (A) COPY OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE LETTER DATED 28.12.2019 SENT BY THE PETITIONER TO THE 1ST RESPONDENT EXHIBIT P3 PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE OFFICIALS OF THE 1ST RESPONDENT REMOVING THE GATE PUT UP AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE INNER COURTYARD OF THE SHOPPING COMPLEX. EXHIBIT P4 TRUE COPY OF THE FLOOR PLAN OF THE PEARLVIEW SHOPPING COMPLEX EXHIBIT P5 TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE DATED 7.1.2020 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER EXHIBIT P5 (A) TRUE COPY OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE NOTICE DATED 7.1.2020 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER EXHIBIT P6 TRUE COPY OF THE PROVISIONAL ORDER DATED 7.1.2020 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT EXHIBIT P6 (A) TRUE COPY OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE PROVISIONAL ORDER DATED 7.1.2020 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT EXHIBIT P7 TRUE COPY OF THE SHOWCASE NOTICE U/S 406(2) OF THE ACT ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER EXHIBIT P7 (A) TRUE COPY OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE SHOWCAUSE NOTICE U/S 406(2) OF THE ACT ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT TO THE PETITIONER "