Kerala HC issues directions after plea on ‘encroachment’ of land in Govt. Law College

The Kerala High Court has directed the stakeholders concerned to take steps to ensure that, under no circumstances should the inauguration, unveiling, dedication or ceremonial functions of any unauthorised construction or statue take place at the Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, pending disposal of a writ petition in this regard.

A Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said that the District Collector, the college principal, and the SHO of Museum Police Station must ensure that the HC order is complied with.

The order was passed on a plea by a student of the college, Akshay Krishnan S. of Vattiyoorkavu, who sought steps to prevent the alleged encroachment of government land within the college premises to unauthorisedly erect a permanent structure/statue. He asserted that it was public property meant exclusively for academic and institutional purposes.

The college principal had issued a stop memo in this regard, lodged a police complaint, and suspended four students. But the competent authorities like the Collector and the PWD failed to remove the encroachment, despite (the petitioner Mr. Krishnan) submitting written complaints. A ‘political inauguration’ of the structure was proposed on January 17. The inaction of the authorities amounted to abdication of public trust and failure to protect government property, Mr. Krishnan had said in his plea.