Supreme Court Seeks TN Govt Response On Plea Challenging Eviction For Madurai Airport Expansion

The Supreme Court today(May 19) issued notice in a plea challenging the eviction proceedings by the Tamil Nadu government for the extension of Madurai International Airport.

A bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma issued notice to the State Government in a plea filed by members of the Scheduled Caste community, claiming that they have been forced to vacate their dwelling houses without reasonable compensation and proper resettlement and rehabilitation. It is stated that they belonged to the Scheduled Caste community, and the act of the authorities, forcefully evicting them, violates their fundamental rights under Article 21 and 300(A) of the Constitution.

As per the plea, they have resided in the Chinna Udaippu Village for several decades and have been asked to vacate their houses without ensuring the statutory safeguards are met in respect to rehabilitation and resettlement under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and the Tamil Nadu Land Acquisition Laws (Revival of Operation, Amendment and Validation) Act, 2019. The petitioners say they are entitled to a built house, 2 acres of agricultural land and other rehabilitation and resettlement package.

By an order dated February 27, the Madurai bench has given two weeks to the inhabitants to vacate their houses in a writ petition filed by more than 300 families challenging the eviction proceedings. A bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan held that the government had acted fairly and reasonably and even granted additional compensation to the families, along with providing alternate housing. It noted that since the land was acquired in 2009, the 2013 Act would not be applicable.

The Tamil Nadu Government had submitted that they were given compensation for land acquisition and even granted ex gratia compensation as per the Right to Fair Compensation Act 2013. Apart from the compensation, the state submitted that it had given 2 cents of house site near the acquired area and also agreed to give a built house in the property as part of a special scheme using State funds.

Case Details: P. Malairajn & Ors v The Government of Tamil Nadu & Ors|SLP(C) No. 10335/2026

For petitioners: Mr. P.V. Dinesh, Sr. Adv. Mr. Zulfiker Ali P. S, AOR Mr. Shiyas KR, Adv. Ms. Anna Oommen, Adv. Mr. Shifaz R Dheen, Adv. Ms. Lebina Baby, Adv.