Jharkhand High Court Orders Deputy Commissioner to Ensure Government Lands Remain Encroachment-Free
Case No: W.P. (PIL) No. 369 of 2026
By Sandhya kaika
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Doray Jonko regarding illegal encroachments on government plots (Nos. 206, 207, 208, and 209) under Khata No. 172 in Porahat, Chakradharpur. The petitioner alleged that authorities had failed to take elective action against these occupations.
The Court’s Finding: The Sub-Divisional Officer of Chakradharpur submitted a counter-affidavit confirming that after multiple ignored notices, an eviction order was issued on May 27, 2025. Following this, the administration deployed police force and successfully cleared the encroachments on May 30, 2025, providing photographic evidence to the court.
While the petitioner claimed some encroachments persisted, the Court noted that no formal rejoinder was filed to contest the state’s evidence. The Bench, comprising the Chief Justice and Justice Deepak Roshan, disposed of the PIL with specific mandates for the local administration.
The petitioner may file fresh complaints with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of West Singhbhum if any illegal structures remain.
The DC is directed to investigate such complaints and clear any remaining encroachments “as expeditiously as possible” in accordance with the law.
The Court placed a proactive burden on the DC to ensure that cleared encroachments do not re-surface on government land.
