Tamil Nadu CM accused of unlawful land claims in HC petition

An election petition filed before the Madras High Court has raised questions about Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's ownership of approximately 50 cents of poromboke land located in the hill station of Kodaikanal. The petitioner contends that the land holding represents an illegal claim over government property classified as poromboke, a term in Tamil Nadu revenue law referring to uncultivated or waste land belonging to the state.

The petition further challenges the provenance of the Neelangarai bungalow, a significant property linked to the Chief Minister's family. According to the allegations, the bungalow was not inherited as previously understood, but was instead acquired through a settlement deed executed by Stalin's father S.A. Chandrasekhar in 2005. The petitioner questions the validity and circumstances of this transaction.

The case raises broader questions about property acquisition and disclosure by senior political figures in Tamil Nadu. The petitioner's intervention through electoral proceedings suggests concerns about potential violations of rules governing elected representatives' asset declarations and conduct.

The Madras High Court will examine the substantive claims regarding both the poromboke land and the bungalow acquisition. The matter adds to ongoing scrutiny of wealth and property holdings among prominent political figures in the state. A hearing date for the petition has not yet been announced.