Thu Mar 27 06:21:55 UTC 2025: **Madras High Court Judge Condemns Division Bench for “Judicial Anarchy”**
Chennai, March 27, 2025 – A single judge of the Madras High Court has strongly criticized a Division Bench for disregarding over a century of precedents in a land ownership case. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh accused the Division Bench of creating “judicial anarchy” by issuing rulings contradicting numerous previous judgments on the classification of Grama Natham (village site of dwellings) lands.
The Division Bench’s 2024 ruling declared all Grama Natham lands as government property. Justice Venkatesh countered this, citing consistent High Court rulings over decades holding that privately occupied Grama Natham lands, held for many years, should be considered private property unless unoccupied or recently occupied. He highlighted that the Division Bench should have referred the matter to a larger bench instead of ignoring established precedents.
The judge further criticized the Division Bench for directing the state government to reissue a circular previously declared unconstitutional by another Division Bench. He deemed this action unprecedented and a blatant disregard for judicial propriety. Justice Venkatesh declared the Division Bench’s verdict in the Anbananthan case “per incuriam,” meaning it was delivered without considering binding precedents. He emphasized the importance of the High Court speaking with one voice and warned that contradictory rulings jeopardize the institution’s independence.
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