Punjab government’s much-touted drive to vacate panchayat lands from illegal encroachments has come under judicial scanner. A civil court at Kharar has summoned Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal over his Department’s move of vacating 29 acres of land on which a person has claimed ownership.

Capt Bikramjit Singh, in his petition against the Minister Dhaliwal, submitted that the Rural Development and Panchayat Department’s action in April to get the possession of his land at Abhipur village in Mohali was “illegal”.

Capt Singh told the court that he had bought the land in 2003-04 from the owners whose ancestors have been tilling the land since 1945. He also claimed that he was not given any notice by the Department before vacating the land.

The Department had, on April 28, said that it got 29 acres of panchayat land freed from encroachment. The officials had taken possession of the land in the presence of Dhaliwal.

The Minister had then said that the Punjab Government had launched a special drive to free panchayat land in the state from encroachments.

The Rural Development and Panchayat Minister has been directed by the court of Civil Judge (Junior Division) Kharar, Geeta Rani, to appear before it on July 25 “in person or through pleader duly instructed”. The Minister has been asked “to answer the claim”, and “directed to produce on that day all the documents upon which you intend to rely in support of your defence”.

The Court also stated that in default of the Minister’s appearance on the day, “the suit will be heard and determined in your absence”.