A competing ownership claim does not bar statutory survey proceedings after notice and hearing.

The petitioner sought a survey and demarcation of approximately 33.21 acres of punja land in specified survey fields at Neivasal Village, based on her application dated 9 January 2026.

Respondents 9 to 25 were impleaded; they claimed the lands belonged to them and stated that proceedings concerning the petitioner’s patta were pending before the Revenue Divisional Officer.

The petitioner sought a direction to the revenue authorities to conduct the survey, with police protection.

Under Sections 9 and 10 of the Tamil Nadu Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923, the competent survey authority may proceed with a survey after giving notice to interested persons and hearing them; objections are to be enquired into and findings recorded.

An appeal against the authority’s decision is available under Section 11.

Survey proceedings do not, by themselves, confer a right to possession where the property is in the hands of third parties.

The Court held that competing claims to the land and pending proceedings concerning the petitioner’s patta did not, by themselves, prevent the survey authority from considering the application.

The fifth respondent was required to follow the statutory process, issue notice to the petitioner, private respondents and other interested persons, and deal with any objections through an enquiry and findings under Sections 9 and 10.

If police assistance was required, the authority could seek it at the petitioner’s cost; any survey or related proceedings would not determine or confer possession.

The fifth respondent may seek jurisdictional police assistance at the petitioner’s cost if required.

The Court clarified that the proceedings would not confer a right to possession if the property was in the hands of third parties; there was no order as to costs.