The Supreme Court upheld the judgment of the lower courts on the Zangdopelri land dispute in Samdrup Jongkhar. The judgment was passed on 20th September.
The case was between the Samdrup Jongkhar thromde administration and a resident.
The Supreme Court ordered both the parties involved to enforce the district court’s judgment on the case within three months.
As per the judgment, the resident, Thinley Dorji, will have to surrender 44,072 square feet of land in the Zangdopelri area along with the Zangdopelri and two double-storied buildings to the thromde administration.
The lower courts ruled that as per the ownership certificate, the land does not belong to Thinley Dorji. The certificate reflects him as the caretaker and not its owner.
At the same time, the thromde administration should pay Thinley Dorji Nu 27.9 M. It is to compensate him for paying the land tax and taking care of the properties so far. Thinley Dorji was also the main coordinator during the construction of the Zangdopelri and other structures.
The dispute started after the National Land Commission directed Thinley Dorji to surrender the Zangdopelri land to the thromde as it did not belong to him. He then filed a case against the thromde administration in 2015.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sonam Wangdi
