Chennai: Residents of Kamarajar Nagar in Perungudi have threatened to boycott the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly election in the Sholinganallur constituency, protesting prolonged delays in the issuance of computerised subdivision pattas.In a representation addressed to the chief electoral officer and the chief secretary, Kamarajar Nagar residents welfare association, representing around 250 families, alleged continued apathy by govt authorities in resolving the issue despite repeated appeals over several years.According to the residents, the plots were purchased through registered sale deeds between 1983 and 1985, and houses were constructed with due approvals from govt authorities. They said they have been in peaceful possession of the properties and have been paying all statutory taxes and charges. However, applications for computerised pattas have remained pending since 2009, the association said.P Sajeevan, joint secretary of the association, said Madras High Court set aside the govt’s order classifying the land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in 2016, strengthening their claim over the properties. He added that the repeal of the Tamil Nadu Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1977, in 1999 further supports their case.“We were neither compensated nor was the land acquired. But revenue dept officials say the land falls under the Act and are not issuing computerised pattas to us,” he said.M Michael Aruldhas, president of the association, said around 600 voters in the locality have decided to boycott the polls. He said the residents purchased the plots through a housing society and constructed houses after obtaining all approvals, including manual pattas. The residents also applied under the Innocent Buyer Scheme introduced in 2008 to regularise land holdings, he said.“While genuine applicants continue to wait, a few individuals have managed to obtain pattas through corrupt practices,” he alleged.The residents said that representations were made during AIADMK regime and later with the chief minister in 2023. “Despite petitions to the chief minister and subsequent correspondence with authorities, no resolution has been reached so far,” they said.
