Gujarat government approves disputed land for Yusuf Pathan
The Gujarat government has approved the allotment of a disputed 978-square-metre plot in Vadodara to former cricketer and MP Yusuf Pathan.
The Gujarat government has approved the allotment of a disputed 978-square-metre plot in Vadodara to former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan. The decision, which involves gifting a portion of the land and selling the rest at a concession, resolves a 14-year dispute over the VMC-owned property in the Tandalja area.
Yusuf Pathan had been trying to secure the land parcel adjacent to his house since 2012, applying for a 99-year lease citing security concerns. The state government rejected that proposal in June 2014 because the land had not been offered through a public auction. Pathan continued to occupy the land and built a boundary wall. In 2024, the civic body issued him a notice to remove the alleged encroachment and vacate the plot.
The plot's estimated market value is Rs 20.53 crore, calculated at Rs 2.10 lakh per square metre. The government's resolution breaks the allotment into two distinct portions with different financial terms.
| Portion | Use | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq m | Residential | Allotted as a gift to Yusuf Pathan |
| 478 sq m | Residential | Transferred at 55% of the VUDA valuation committee rate from March 17, 2026, representing a 45% concession |
The government order is dated August 13 and reached the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) on August 29. VMC municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu confirmed the state government's approval. The revenue department will allot VMC land of equivalent value to compensate the civic body for the transfer. The state's resolution explicitly states the decision will not serve as a precedent for similar cases.
Legal battles and court dismissal
The dispute saw extensive legal action. The Gujarat High Court upheld the government's 2014 rejection of the earlier allotment proposal in August 2025. The court stated that prolonged possession without a formal allotment order or payment did not establish a legal right. It cautioned that continued occupation could increase his financial liability. Pathan appealed this decision.
During hearings in June 2026, a division bench questioned his possession of public land without completing allotment formalities. The bench gave him four weeks to pursue his claim under the state government’s policy for allotment of land to international sportspersons. The court warned that delays could increase the damages payable. On August 31, 2026, Pathan withdrew his appeal unconditionally, and the division bench dismissed it as withdrawn. The government's latest approval comes directly after this withdrawal.
Political realignment amid approval
Yusuf Pathan's political journey provides context for the timing of the decision. Pathan won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal’s Baharampur constituency on a Trinamool Congress ticket. He was among 20 TMC MPs who rebelled against the party leadership. In June 2026, Pathan and other rebel MPs announced a merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), and Pathan was appointed one of the party's national vice-presidents. The Gujarat government's proposal to transfer the land emerged months after he left the TMC.
The proposal, submitted by the Vadodara municipal commissioner, must now be considered by the VMC Standing Committee and subsequently receive approval from the civic body's general board. A senior VMC official said: "the details of the allotment are yet to be finalised." The final payment amount for the concessional portion remains unfixed, to be determined after examining the state government's order. The VMC Standing Committee will present the final proposal for approval on October 23, 2026.
