Tussle over land allotted to Kombirei Cooperative Housing Society
HC authorises Govt to cancel land allotment order
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 17 2015 : A Division Bench of the High Court of Manipur has authorised the State Government to decide and cancel the land allotment order issued earlier in favour of the Kombirei Housing Coope-rative Society.

The Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice LK Mohapatra and Justice Kh Nobin issued a ruling to this effect yesterday.

The Court order says that the State may consider the recommendation of the House Committee and review the order of allotment of land made in favour of appellants and at the same time, the State may decide as to whether they should proceed for cancellation of land allotted in favour of the Kombirei Housing Cooperative Society and its members in accordance to due process of law.

In 2001, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research--Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR-RRL) filed a case in the erstwhile Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court against Kombirei Housing Co-operative Society's writ petition lodged in the same Court claiming ownership of 30 acres of land at Lamphel-pat by 95 individuals.

A view of the area allotted to Kombirei Housing Cooperative Society after snatching it from CSIR-RRL

In 1996, CSIR (RRL) filed a case in the Imphal Bench of Gauhati Court against the State Government and Kom-birei Housing Co-operative Society for alleged forceful allotment of 30 acres of land at Lamphelpat belonging to CSIR (RRL) to 95 individuals.

It may be mentioned that this 30 acres of land was provided to CSIR (RRL) for the establishment of the Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) in 1973 .

However, after 20 years in 1993, the Revenue Secretary of the State Government sent a letter to Regional Research Laboratory (RRL), Jorhat stating that RRL, Imphal can utilise only five acres of land of the 30 acres provided to them.

In 1995 when the present BJP Manipur Pradesh president Th Chaoba was the Revenue Minister, the State Government cancelled allotment of the 30 acres of land to CSIR (RRL) and transferred its ownership to Kom- birei Housing Co-operative Society constituted by 95 individuals including Chaoba's second wife, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, bureaucrats and high ranking officers of the State Government.

However, the matter came to light only in 1996, when CSIR filed a case against Kombirei Housing Co-operative Society and the State Government in the Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court.

Following this case, The State Legislative Assembly formed a committee to probe the matter.

After the committee recommended the State Government to cancel this land allotment to 95 individuals under Kombirei Housing Co-operative Society and hand over the same to CSIR (RRL), these individuals filed a writ petition in the Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court claiming land ownership in 2000 .

In response to the writ petition, CSIR (RRL) filed another case against Kombirei Housing Co-operative Society in 2001 in the same Court leading to yesterday's judgement.

Meanwhile, Industry Minister N Mangi has hailed the High Court's verdict which upholds the dignity of the State Assembly 19 years after the he had raised the issue of illegal allotment of 30 acres of land by the then Revenue Minister and present president of BJP state unit Th Chaoba in the State Assembly.

Speaking to media persons this evening, Mangi said that he had raised the issue under starred question number 269 (A) on March 27, 1996 on the floor of the House regarding the allotment of 30 acres of land to 95 individuals in the name of Kombirei Housing Cooperative Society which was already allotted by the State Government to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) for their research works on medicinal plants.

Subsequently a House Committee was formed comprising of seven MLAs including former MLA O Joy and Gangmumei Kamei.

The committee found that the land was allotted to the 95 individuals in the name of Kombirei Housing Cooperative Society with a fake address document.

It was also found that land allotment individually by violating all the norms of MLR&LR Act.

After enquiry, the committee recommended the House to cancel the land allotment order issued to Kombirei Housing Cooperative Society and hand over the same land to CSIR (RRL), Mangi said.

He also conveyed gratitude to the Division Bench for upholding dignity of the House.

The judgement testifies that no one is above the law howsoever powerful he or she may be.