A significant legal challenge has emerged against the occupation of land belonging to the University of Kerala by the AKG Centre for Research and Studies in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala High Court has taken up a petition that demands the state government evict the centre and reclaim the property, alleging illegal possession and misuse for political purposes.
Petitioner Alleges Missing Records and Illegal Occupation
The petition was filed by R S Sasikumar, a former joint registrar of Kerala University and a resident of Thiruvananthapuram. He challenges the very basis of the centre's occupation, stating that a government order from August 1977, which supposedly assigned 15 cents of university land to the CPI(M) state secretary for establishing the AKG Memorial Research Centre, is untraceable in official records.
Sasikumar contends that this crucial order cannot be found in the archives of the archaeology department, revenue authorities, or any other statutory offices. Furthermore, he asserts that the AKG Centre is not a recognised research institution of the university.
Claims of Gross Misuse and Unauthorised Construction
The plea goes beyond questioning the land assignment's validity. It alleges that even if the initial assignment was legitimate, the land's use has drastically deviated from its intended purpose. The petitioner claims the centre has been grossly misused as an office and political hub for a political party, violating the assignment's conditions and statutory mandates.
In a more serious allegation, Sasikumar states that the party secretary and the AKG Centre director are in illegal possession of more than 55 cents of land. This includes not only the university property but also government puramboke land, far exceeding the originally claimed 15 cents. The petition also points out that constructions on the site were carried out without lawful authority or valid building permits.
Court's Directive and Future Proceedings
While considering the petition on Tuesday, Justice C Jayachandran observed that the matter is essentially a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Accordingly, he directed the high court registry to formally register the petition as a PIL, paving the way for a broader judicial examination of the allegations.
The petitioner has sought two primary directives from the court. First, to evict the AKG Centre and recover the allegedly illegally occupied land. Second, to call for and quash the elusive government order dated August 20, 1977, which is the foundational document for the centre's occupation. The court's next steps will be closely watched, as the case touches upon issues of public land use, institutional integrity, and political influence.
