A longstanding land dispute involving the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Yusuf Pathan has once again come into the spotlight. In a recent meeting of the municipal standing committee, a proposal was approved to auction seven plots, including a 978-square-meter plot currently occupied by Pathan.
Out of 12 proposals discussed during the meeting, 11 received approval. The proposal related to the plots has now been forwarded to the general body meeting for further consideration.
How the dispute started
The issue dates back to 2012, when Yusuf Pathan applied for a government plot in the Tandalja area of Vadodara. While the Municipal Corporation accepted his request, the state government did not approve the allotment.
Despite the lack of approval, a boundary wall and a cattle shed were later built on the government land. Following this, the Municipal Corporation issued a notice regarding the occupation of the plot.
High Court’s stand on the matter
Yusuf Pathan later approached the Gujarat High Court challenging the municipal corporation’s notice. During the hearing, the High Court directed him to vacate the plot and observed that the longer the land remained occupied, the higher the penalty could become.
Although the court did not grant any stay order in the matter, the Municipal Corporation has not yet taken possession of the land or cleared the site.
Local group raises objections
Meanwhile, the decision to auction the plot has faced opposition from a local organisation called the Vishvamitri Bachao Samiti. The group has submitted a written representation to the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner, objecting to the proposed auction.
According to the committee, municipal rules require the corporation to recover a penalty of around ₹7.50 crore, along with interest, for the use of the land from 2012 to 2026.
Demand to recover the penalty before the auction
The committee argues that auctioning the plot directly at the current market price without first recovering the pending penalty amount would result in financial loss to the municipal corporation and benefit the person occupying the land.
The organisation has demanded that the auction process be put on hold until the High Court matter is completely resolved and the outstanding penalty for the past 14 years is recovered.
