THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has approached the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict which cancelled the orders issued by special officer M G Rajamanikyam for regaining the land held by Harrison Malayalam Limited and also the land sold by them. The government also say in the appeal that the high court has not considered the special officer’s suggestions for commissioning the land.  The foreign company had held the land without the permission of Reserve Bank. The government also says in the appeal that a special officer has the legal authority to take action against this.

The high court division bench consisting of Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Ashok Menon had pronounced the verdict last April on the petitions filed by Harrisons Malayalam Limited and people who bought land from them against the order to decommission 38,000 acre land as government property. The division bench clarified that the special officer does not hold the authority to determine the ownership of the land as per the land conservation act. According to Kerala Land Conservancy Act, special officer can take action against the encroachment of wastelands. The court had observed that a special officer cannot commission land from people who possess registered documents and receipt of tax payment.

However, severe criticisms have been raised against this verdict. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala had alleged that the government did not take the case seriously and failed to submit important documents in the court. V S Achuthanandan, Chairman of Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission had also said that the verdict should be re-evaluated. The government had considered forming a law but they decided to submit an appeal in the Supreme Court later.