W.P.No.17701 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 18.06.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE Mr.JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH W.P.No.17701 of 2025 S.D.Gunasekaran .. Petitioner Vs. 1.The District Collector Vellore District Vellore. 2.The Block Development Officer Anaicut, Vellore District. 3.The Tahsildar Anaicut, Vellore District. .. Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondent to consider the representation sent by the petitioner dated 11.11.2024, to take appropriate action restraning the Chendrayankottai Village people from burying and cremating the deadbodies in Oodai S.No.200. For Petitioner : Mr.D.Rajagopal For Respondents : Mr.T.M.Rajangam Government Advocate 1/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 O R D E R This writ petition has been filed for the issue of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to consider the representation made by the petitioner on 11.11.2025, wherein the petitioner has objected to the subject property which is a water body from being used as a burial/cremation ground. 2.When the matter came up for hearing on 04.06.2025, this Court passed the following order: The Block Development Officer, Anaicut, Vellore District and the Tahsildar, Anaicut, Vellore District are suo motu impleaded as respondents 2 & 3 in this writ petition. 2. This matter pertains to the request made by the petitioner to the respondents to take action against those persons, who are burying and cremating dead bodies in the property which is a water body instead of the burial ground nearby. 3. The learned Government Advocate shall take instructions from the impleaded respondents 2 & 3 and report this Court regarding the action taken. 4. Post this writ petition at the end of the motion list on 18.06.2025 . 3.When the matter was taken up for hearing today, the learned Government 2/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 Advocate produced the written instructions received from the Tahsildar and the relevant portions are extracted hereunder: kDjhuh; kahdkhf gad;gLj;j Ml;nrgiz bjhptpj;J tHf;F bjhlh;e;Js;s X';fg;gho fpuhk muR g[wk;nghf;F g[y vz;/200?y; gug;g[ 0/67/5 Vh;!; epyt[ilik nkk;ghl;Lj;jpl;l @m@ gjpntl;oy; Xil vd gjpthfpa[s;sJ/ nkw;go Xilapid X';fg;gho kw;Wk; brd;whad; bfhl;lha; fpuhk bghJkf;fs; ngahW vdt[k; miHj;J tUfpd;wdh;/ nkw;go XilahdJ njhuhakhf 71/7 kP/ mfyk; bfhz;Ls;sJ/ ,e;j Xil g[wk;nghf;fpidbahl;o (bjd; gFjpapy;) g[y vz;/235-1?y; gug;g[ 0/45/5 Vh;!; g[y vz;/235-3?y; gug;g[ 0/01/0 Vh;!;. fpuhk ej;jk; g[y vz;/235-2?y; gug;g[ 1/22/0 Vu;!; Mfpatw;wpy; Rkhh; 25?f;Fk; nkw;gl;l FLk;g';fs; cs;sd/ ,g;gFjpahdJ @Fl;ilnkL@ vd miHf;fg;gl;L tUfpwJ/ nkw;go ,lj;jpy; trpf;Fk; egh;fs; midtUk; ,e;J?td;dpah; tFg;igr; rhh;e;jth;fs; Mth;/ ,th;fSk; Xil g[wk;nghf;F rh;nt vz;/200?y; cs;s ,lj;jpidna kahdkhf gad;gLj;jp tUfpd;wdh;/ nkw;go Xil g[wk;nghf;fpd; fpHf;Fg; gFjpapy; kDjhuUf;F brhe;jkhd rh;nt vz;/196?y; gug;g[ 0/90/5 3/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 Vu;!; tptrha ep[yk; mike;Js;sJ/ nkw;go epyj;jpy; kDjhuh; bjd;id rhFgo bra;Js;shh;/ nkw;go bghUs; bjhlh;ghf kDjhuiu tprhuiz bra;jjpy;. fle;j 5 Mz;LfSf;F Kd; nkw;go Xilapd; nkw;F gFjpapy; vhpnkil xd;W mikf;fg;gl;ljhft[k;. nkw;go vhpnkilapid brd;whad;bfhl;lha; kw;Wk; Fl;ilnkL fpuhk bghJkf;fs; rly';fis vhpf;f gad;gLj;jhky; kDjhuUf;F brhe;jkhd X';fg;gho fpuhk g[y vz;/196?y; gug;g[ 0/90/5 Vu;!; tptrha epyj;jpid xl;o mike;Js;s Xil g[wk;nghf;fpy; rly';fis g[ijj;Jk;. vhpj;Jk; tUtjhft[k;. ,jd; fhuzkhf kDjhuhpd; tptrhak; ghjpf;fg;gLtjhft[k;. nkw;go fpuhk bghJkf;fis vhpnkil kw;Wk; mjdUfpy; mike;Js;s Xil g[wk;nghf;fpid kahdkhf gad;gLj;j mwpt[Wj;jt[k; bjhptpj;Js;shh;/ nkYk;. kDjhuhpd; kD bjhlh;ghd brd;whad;bfhl;lha; kw;Wk; Fl;il nkL fpuhk bghJkf;fis tprhuiz bra;jjpy;. brd;whad;bfhl;lha; fpuhkj;jpw;bfd;W ,Jehs;tiu jdpahf kahdk; VJk; ,y;iy vd;Wk;. fhy';fhykhf g[y vz;/200?y; mike;Js;s Xil g[wk;nghf;fpd; ikag;gFjpapy; 4/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 ,we;jth;fspd; rly';fis g[ijj;J te;jjhft[k;. me;epiyapy; jw;nghJ fpuhk bghJkf;fs; kahdkhf gad;gLj;jptUk; Xil g[wk;nghf;fpy; kDjhuh; jPtdk; gaph; bra;J te;jjhft[k;. mg;nghJ bra;j gUtkiHapdhy; Vw;gl;l bts;sg;bgUf;fpd; fhuzkhf Xilapd; ikag;gFjp bts;sj;jhy; mhpf;fg;gl;L jw;nghJ gs;skhf cs;sjhft[k;. jw;nghJ vhpnkil mikf;fg;gl;Ls;s Xilapd; nkw;F gFjpapy; Fl;ilnkL gFjp FoapUg;g[fs; mike;Js;s fhuzj;jhy;. mt;tplj;jpy; rly';fis g[ijf;fnth vhpf;fnth ,ayhj R{Hy; cs;sjhft[k;. ,jd; fhuzkhfnt kDjhuUf;F brhe;jkhd g[y vz;/ 196?d; mUfpy; cs;s Xilapd; fiuapid brd;whad;bfhl;lha; fpuhk bghJkf;fs; kahdkhf gad;gLj;jptUk; tptuKk; bjhpatUfpwJ/ vdnt brd;whad; bfhl;lha; fpuhkj;jpw;bfd;W jw;nghJtiu jdpahf kahdk; ,y;yhj fhuzj;jpdhYk;. jw;nghJ vhpnkil mike;Js;s Xil g[wk;nghf;F g[y vz;/200?idbahl;o mike;Js;s g[y vz;fs; 235-1. 235-2 kw;Wk; 235-3 Mfpatw;wpy; Foa[Ug;g[fs; cs;s fhuzj;jpdhYk; vhpnkil mike;Js;s Xil 5/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 g[wk;nghf;fpd; nkw;F gFjpapid kahdkhf gad;gLj;j ,ayhj R{Hy; cs;sJ vd;gij gzpt[ld; bjhptpj;Jf;bfhs;fpnwd;/ 4.It is clear from the above that the water body is being used as a burial/cremation ground and steps are being taken to identity burial/cremation ground. 5.In the considered view of this Court, unless a place is designated as burial/cremation ground, the dead bodies cannot be allowed to be buried or burned at any place and particularly in a water body. The Full Bench of this Court had an occasion to deal with this issue by considering the Panchayat Act and Rules and the guidelines were issued in Jagadheeswari and Others .Vs. B.Babu Naidu and Others reported in (2023) 2 WLR 159. 6.In view of the above, there shall be a direction to the respondents to immediately identify and designate a place as a burial/cremation ground and ensure that the burial/cremation takes place only in the designated place. This process shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of the order. Thereafter, the burial/cremation of the dead bodies shall not be allowed in the subject property which is a water body. 6/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 7.This writ petition is disposed of with the above directions. No costs. 18.06.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No kp To 1.The District Collector Vellore District Vellore. 2.The Block Development Officer Anaicut, Vellore District. 3.The Tahsildar Anaicut, Vellore District. 7/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.17701 of 2025 N. ANAND VENKATESH, J. kp W.P.No.17701 of 2025 18.06.2025 8/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis