Hyderabad: Telangana high court comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N V Shravan Kumar heard a petition filed by the Telangana Republican Party (TRP) that seeks the withdrawal of government amendments to land laws, specifically concerning land allocated to poor beneficiaries, and requests orders to reclaim such allotted land.
During the proceedings, the court issued a notice to the government and instructed it to respond within four weeks.
The TRP’s counsel argued that it is imperative to recover these lands from those who have purchased them in light of the amendments to existing laws regarding assigned lands in Telangana.
The petitioner asserted that these lands, originally allocated in 1969 for livelihood purposes, have been sold to affluent individuals at nominal prices, and they have now surged in value to crores of rupees.
The petition indicated that around 2 lakh acres of land in the state, a portion of which falls under assigned land, is under the control of third parties. Out of this, 74,000 acres are situated in Rangareddy district alone, warranting measures to reclaim them.
The Telangana Republican Party’s general secretary, who serves as the petitioner in the case, argued that the 2018 amendment made by the Telangana government has shifted ownership of these lands from the poor to the affluent class.
The wealthy are now benefiting from these lands, which were initially meant for the economically disadvantaged, who were allotted the land at nominal prices.
The court, after hearing the petition, issued notices to the Revenue Department of the Telangana government and other involved parties. It directed them to provide a detailed response within four weeks.
The court also called for information on the actions taken regarding land assigned for livelihood purposes in the state and the issues surrounding the amended laws.
The petition maintains that the state government’s amendments contradict the foundation of assigned land laws, which prohibit the transfer of such lands to other individuals.
