The Gujarat government has approved a proposal to allot a 978-square-metre plot owned by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to former India cricketer Yusuf Pathan, with 500 square metres to be gifted to him for residential use and the remaining portion transferred at a concessional rate. The plot, located in the Tandalja area of Vadodara, has an estimated market value of Rs 20.53 crore. Under the approved proposal, Pathan will receive 500 square metres as a gift, while the remaining 478 square metres will be transferred at 55% of the valuation determined by the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) valuation committee.
However, the allotment is not yet final. The proposal must be considered by the VMC Standing Committee and subsequently receive approval from the civic body's general board.
As per a TOI report, VMC municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu confirmed that the civic body had received the state government's approval. He said the details were yet to be finalised and the proposal would have to complete the required approval process.
Yusuf Pathan land allotment: What has Gujarat govt approved?
The state government's resolution concerns a plot under Town Planning Scheme 22, Final Plot 90, in Vadodara's Tandalja area.
The civic body's land estate department prepared the proposal, which divides the 978-square-metre plot into two portions. The first 500 square metres will be allotted to Pathan as a gift for residential use. The remaining 478 square metres will be transferred at 55% of the valuation determined by the VUDA valuation committee on March 17, 2026.
The arrangement amounts to a 45% concession on the valuation applicable to the portion being transferred at the reduced rate.
The plot's estimated market value is Rs 20.53 crore, calculated at Rs 2.10 lakh per square metre, according to the civic body's valuation.
The government resolution also states that the decision will not serve as a precedent for similar cases. It further provides for the revenue department to allot VMC land of equivalent value to compensate the civic body for the land transferred to Pathan.
Why is the Yusuf Pathan land allotment controversial?
The dispute over the Vadodara plot dates back to 2012, when Pathan sought a 99-year lease of land adjoining his family's residence.
In his application, the former cricketer cited security concerns linked to his profile as an international sportsman and said the adjoining land would be convenient for residential purposes.
The VMC Standing Committee and general board initially approved the proposal to allot the plot directly to him without a public auction and forwarded it to the state government for approval.
However, in June 2014, the urban development department rejected the proposal, citing the requirement for public auction or open bidding for valuable municipal land.
The civic body subsequently alleged that Pathan had fenced off and occupied the plot despite the rejection. The dispute resurfaced in June 2024, shortly after he won the Lok Sabha election, when the VMC issued him a notice directing him to remove the alleged encroachment.
Gujarat High Court rejected Yusuf Pathan's earlier claim
Pathan challenged the civic body's action before the Gujarat High Court. His lawyers relied on a government policy concerning land allotments to international sportspersons, while the VMC argued that the land belonged to the civic body and could not be transferred without following the prescribed procedure.
In August 2025, the High Court upheld the government's rejection of the earlier allotment proposal. The court held that prolonged possession without a formal allotment order or payment did not establish a legal right to the land.
Pathan subsequently appealed against the decision. During hearings in June 2026, a division bench questioned how he had taken possession of public land without completing the allotment formalities or making payment. The court also cautioned that continued occupation could increase his financial liability.
On August 31, 2026, Pathan withdrew his appeal unconditionally.
The Gujarat government's latest approval comes after that withdrawal. The proposal must still complete the VMC's internal approval process before the allotment can be finalised.
Yusuf Pathan's political career after joining TMC
Pathan represented the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal after winning the 2024 general election as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate led by Mamata Banerjee.
According to the information provided, Pathan and other rebel TMC MPs announced a merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) on June 14, 2026, following the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Pathan was appointed one of the party's national vice-presidents.
Inputs from TOI