Gonda: A nearly three-decade-old dispute over government Nazul land in Gonda has taken a significant turn, with the petitioner withdrawing from further legal proceedings and voluntarily removing his occupation from the disputed property.
The development came amid continued monitoring and legal follow-up by Divisional Commissioner of Devipatan Division Durga Shakti Nagpal. The disputed Nazul plots — numbered 514, 515, 524 and 525 — are reserved for the Commissioner’s Office and building in Gonda. The case has been pending before the court since 1997.
Following the administration’s renewed review of old government land cases, the authorities examined the records and the status of the litigation and directed officials to pursue the government’s case effectively to protect public land.
A stay order had been passed in the matter in 2008, but the legal proceedings continued thereafter. During the administration’s drive to protect government land from encroachment, the decades-old case came under renewed scrutiny.
Petitioner Withdraws From Further Proceedings
The petitioner, Dayanand Mishra, an advocate and resident of Chhawani Sarkar Anandpuri, Civil Lines, Gonda, submitted an affidavit before the court requesting that he not be required to pursue the case further and that the proceedings be brought to an end.
The administration said the significant aspect of the development was that Mishra also removed his occupation from the government land. Thus, alongside the change in the legal proceedings, the physical status of the disputed property has also changed.
During the verification of the site, the administration had also examined reports regarding the operation of an unauthorised school on the land. Officials found that no students or teachers were present at the site at the time of inspection. The administration subsequently continued monitoring the condition of the property.
Focus on Protection and Government Use
With the petitioner withdrawing from further litigation and removing his occupation, the administration is now focusing on securing the land and ensuring its use for the government purpose for which the plots were reserved.
Commissioner Durga Shakti Nagpal directed officials to review old and pending cases involving government land and ensure effective legal action wherever required. The administration is also examining both court records and the actual on-ground status of such properties.
Nagpal said the protection of government land and its use in the public interest were priorities. She added that following the latest development in the nearly 30-year-old case, the administration would ensure that the land remains protected and is utilised for its designated government purpose.
The case, which originated in 1997 and remained pending through a 2008 stay order, has now entered a new phase in 2026 following the petitioner’s affidavit and removal of the occupation from the disputed land.
