G.O. (Ms) No.255, Re-structuring of Land Reforms Department, 2015
The Government of Tamil Nadu, Revenue [LR.I(2)] Department issued G.O. (Ms) No.255 on 10 July 2015, amending G.O. (Ms) No.34 dated 14 January 2015 on restructuring the Land Reforms Department. It clarifies that senior district officials may monitor Revenue Divisional Officers only on administrative matters and authorises the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Reforms to modify implementation instructions within stated limits.
Purpose
G.O. (Ms) No.255 of the Government of Tamil Nadu, Revenue [LR.I(2)] Department, dated 10 July 2015, amends parts of G.O. (Ms) No.34 dated 14 January 2015. The earlier order created a Land Reforms unit in every Collectorate except Chennai and gave Revenue Divisional Officers the powers of Authorised Officer and Assigning Authority under the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961 and the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Disposal of Surplus Land) Rules, 1965.
Who it affects
G.O. (Ms) No.255 mainly affects Revenue Divisional Officers, District Collectors, District Revenue Officers, Additional Personal Assistants (Land) to Collectors, and the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Reforms. People whose land ceiling or surplus land matters are handled by a Revenue Divisional Officer may also be affected by the clarified administrative structure.
Key provisions
G.O. (Ms) No.255 makes the following changes:
- Additional Personal Assistants (Land) to Collectors in Ariyalur, Karur, Namakkal, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Theni, Tiruppur and Virudhunagar are to monitor and administer Land Reforms, Bhoodan and Agricultural Income Tax work on administrative matters.
- District Collectors and District Revenue Officers may monitor the work of Revenue Divisional Officers under the land ceiling law and its rules only on administrative matters.
- The Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Reforms may issue executive instructions for continuity and implementation of the departmental restructuring.
- The Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Reforms may modify implementation matters to resolve issues, except matters connected with sanctioned posts and Urban Land Ceiling or Urban Land Tax.
- Details of posts disbanded, attached and surrendered remain in Annexures V-1 to V-9.
Reason for the clarification
G.O. (Ms) No.255 records a challenge claiming that District Collectors and District Revenue Officers could not monitor the quasi-judicial work of Revenue Divisional Officers. The High Court dismissed the writ petition and held that the monitoring concerned administrative work. A writ appeal was later filed, and the Government adopted the amendments to make the administrative limit clear and avoid further litigation.
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Common questions
Can the District Collector supervise a Revenue Divisional Officer's land ceiling decisions?
G.O. (Ms) No.255 permits District Collectors and District Revenue Officers to monitor Revenue Divisional Officers only on administrative matters. The document states that they are not to monitor the judicial work of Revenue Divisional Officers.
Does G.O. (Ms) No.255 change who acts as the Authorised Officer for land ceiling matters?
The document records that G.O. (Ms) No.34 gave Revenue Divisional Officers the powers of Authorised Officer and Assigning Authority. G.O. (Ms) No.255 clarifies how their work may be monitored.
Which districts receive an Additional Personal Assistant (Land) post?
The listed districts are Ariyalur, Karur, Namakkal, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Thanjavur, Theni, Tiruppur and Virudhunagar.
Can the Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Land Reforms modify the restructuring arrangements?
Yes, implementation modifications and executive instructions may be issued to resolve issues. The authority does not extend to modifications connected with sanctioned posts or Urban Land Ceiling and Urban Land Tax.
