Kerala High Court Constitutes Special Task Force To Tackle Munnar, Vagamon Government Land Encroachments

The Munnar Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji was considering various connected matters, including a public interest litigation raising the issue of large-scale illegal encroachments and forged pattas in respect to the afore areas.

The Court noted that a Special Investigation Team and a Monitoring Committee was already constituted by an earlier order dated January 9, 2024. Moreover, as many as 6 reports containing vital recommendations were submitted by the Government through its officers and committees of officers from 2003 but none of these have been implemented, it was noted.

Despite passage of around two decades, since no concrete action was taken, the Court felt that a Special Task Force can be constituted to go through the recommendations and implement them. It remarked:

“The reports of the Committees/Officers above mentioned speak volumes; but no one has heard the real voices hidden in them. It is now time to hear, chronicle and implement them. We, therefore, propose the constitution of a 'Special Task Force', with Officers of the Revenue, Police and such other Departments of the Government, as also the learned Amicus Curiae and Advocates of our choice. The felicitous mix of persons in the Task Force to be so constituted - both from the angle of enforcement and recommendations - would be vital to the endeavour.”

The order was passed after taking note of the submissions made by the amicus curiae Harish Vasudevan that a new committee solely entrusted with the task of monitoring the issues would be effective since the previous Monitoring Committee had other responsibilities as well.

It also recorded the submission of Senior Advocate P.V. Dinesh, who is appearing for the petitioner in one of the cases alleging that her land was subjected to fraudulent transfers through fake pattas. It was submitted that urgent and immediate steps are to be taken and that no further reports from the side of the government was necessary in view of earlier, comprehensive ones.

The Court also recorded the submission of Advocate Daisy Philipose, appearing for the petitioners in some of the cases, advocated for the constitution of a new, powerful committee. 

The Additional Advocate General K.C. Vincent appearing on behalf of the State submitted that the government is serious to take control over the encroached upon government lands and is ready to constitute a High Level Special Task Force, which would act in consonance with and complementary to the SIT. The submissions were also recorded by the Court.

The Court, in its order, made it clear the responsibilities of the Special Task Force would not be the same as the SIT already constituted:

“The duty of this Force would be to examine and implement the recommendations in the reports; and complete requisite actions. The government, therefore, must also keep in mind specifically that necessary powers and responsibilities be vested in the members, as per the applicable statutory and legal schemes. We, however, clarify that our orders cannot be confused with the responsibilities now entrusted to the 'SIT', whose primary obligation is to find out that veracity of the 'Pattayams' and other documents; but the 'Special Task Force' that we are proposing will have much larger and comprehensive responsibilities, which we will elaborate in our orders to come.”

The Court then posted the matters to October 29 (Thursday) granting time to the government to propose names of officers, who can serve a minimum period of 6 months exclusively in the Special Task Force.

Background

Two of the writ petitions were filed by voluntary organisations One Earth One Life and Paristhithi Samrakshana Samiti seeking action against the large-scale encroachment of government lands in Idukki district, particularly in Munnar and Vagamon areas. The batch of cases before the Munnar Bench included a writ petition initiated as early as in 2007.

While the matters were pending, several reports were given by government officials and committees. One of the earliest one is a 2003 report by the then Additional Chief Secretary. This was followed by a report submitted by the Additional DGP (Intelligence) in 2004. Later, in 2006 and 2007, Committee headed by the then Revenue Secretary submitted reports. These reports contained a comprehensive set of recommendation for the entire territory; which led to an Action Taken Report by the District Collector in 2010.

During the course of proceedings, the Munnar Bench had issued various directions. In August 2023, the Bench had noted that criminal cases have been registered against only few encroachers and directed the District Police Chief to examine such cases and for the purpose of registering the case under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act.

In 2024, the Bench had made observations regarding action as per anti-corruption laws against government officials, including Devikulam Former Deputy Tahsildar M.I. Raveendran, who were responsible for issuing bogus title deeds in favour of encroachers. It had also directed the State Government to constitute a Special Team to inquire into forging of title deeds, including taking bribes by revenue officials.

More recently, in February 2026, the Bench modified an interim order dated 10.01.2024 by partly relaxing the bar it had earlier imposed on the issuance of pattas in Idukki district. It had permitted the State to process applications for assignment of government land to persons who claim occupation, if such occupation is before 1st August, 1971, with limitation and conditions prescribed under the Kerala Land Assignment Rules, 1964.

Counsel for the petitioners: P.V. Dinesh (Sr.), Praveen S., Daisy A. Philipose

Counsel for the respondents: K.C. Vincent – Additional Advocate General, Raphael Thekkan – Government Pleader

Amicus Curiae: Harish Vasudevan

Click to Read/Download Order dated 09.01.2024

Click to Read/Download Order dated 22.09.2026