Key Development in Yusuf Pathan’s Land Dispute

Former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan has received a significant development in his long-running dispute over a 978-square-metre plot adjoining his residence in the Tandalja area of Vadodara, Gujarat. The state government has approved a proposal to allot the disputed land to him, with 500 square metres proposed to be granted free of cost and the remaining 478 square metres to be sold at a concessional rate. Vadodara Municipal Corporation Commissioner Arun said the state government had approved the proposal and that it would now be placed before the relevant committee. The final allotment will proceed after the committee’s approval, while the amount payable by Pathan will be determined after examining the government’s orders.

The dispute dates back to 2012, when Pathan requested the Vadodara Municipal Corporation to allot the plot adjoining his bungalow under a quota for international sportspersons. The civic body initiated a proposal to grant the land on a 99-year lease without a public auction, but Gujarat’s Urban Development Department rejected it in 2014. Officials later stated that Pathan had built a compound wall around the plot and retained possession of it. In 2024, the municipal corporation issued notices seeking the removal of the alleged encroachment, prompting Pathan to approach the Gujarat High Court. The court rejected his petition, questioning his use of the land without a lease order. Pathan subsequently withdrew appeals concerning the land-allocation policy in 2026. Despite the latest government approval, the final allotment remains subject to committee clearance and the determination of the amount payable.