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Ranchi tribal land dispute case: Jharkhand high court halts demolition drive
“The administration started the action after landowner Mahadeo Oraon had filed a contempt petition stating that the administration was not restoring his land despite a tribal dispute court order in his favour. The affected parties informed the court that they had paid money to Oraon by way of settlement and that it was wrong on the part of the administration to remove them from the land where they had been staying for more than four decades,” the advocate said.
The Jharkhand high court on Friday stayed the Ranchi district administration’s demolition drive in the Madhukam area, where 12 houses in Jay Prakash Nagar were razed amid protests as part of an official exercise to restore disputed land claimed as tribal property, an advocate familiar with the matter said.
The order came from the court of justice Rajesh Shankar after affected parties, Shanti Devi & others and Mohan Sao & others, knocked on the court’s door alleging irregularities in the administrative action.
“The administration started the action after landowner Mahadeo Oraon had filed a contempt petition stating that the administration was not restoring his land despite a tribal dispute court order in his favour. The affected parties informed the court that they had paid money to Oraon by way of settlement and that it was wrong on the part of the administration to remove them from the land where they had been staying for more than four decades,” the advocate said.
The high court took note of the matter and directed the administration to stop the demolition work.
“Since the Court is seized of the issue raised by the applicants/intervenors of I.A. No. 2413 of 2026 regarding payment of a considerable amount to the petitioner by way of settlement, the opposite party No. 2 shall stay his hands from taking further coercive steps against the petitioner with respect to the land in question,” the high court order, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, read.
In the petition, the opposite party is the circle officer of Hehal Circle, Ghanshyam Kumar, and the petitioner is landowner Mahadeo Oraon.
The high court also directed Officer Kumar to file an affidavit explaining whether he had issued notice to the affected parties before starting the demolition and whether he had properly heard them.
“The opposite party No. 2 is directed to file a show-cause affidavit specifically stating whether, in compliance with the order dated 22.10.2024, the applicants were issued notices. If so, whether the applicants were allowed to produce documents in support of the fact that they had paid a considerable amount by way of settlement to the petitioner and whether any such order was passed by him before taking steps to evict the applicants from the said land,” the court order read.
The court has fixed February 27 for further hearing in the matter. “Put up this case under the heading ‘For Orders’ on 27.02.2026,” the order added.
Following a long-standing land dispute, the court had initially directed the district administration to clear houses built on a 47-decimal plot of tribal land. Between February 10 and 11, the Ranchi district administration razed approximately 12 houses amid heavy protests from locals who claimed they had resided there for decades.
