HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court has granted relief to Dalit farmers by setting aside an order of a single judge who had dismissed the latter’s petition on the ground that pattas were issued in violation of the procedure prescribed in GO 1122 on June 29, 1961.
The bench said that the land has also been handed back to the government, while allowing the appeal of L Mohan and two other assignee farmers of Adilabad district.
As for the case, five acres of agricultural lands, vide the proceedings of the Tehsildar dated May 12, 1961, was assigned to the forefathers of each of the said appellants at Dasnapur village of the district. In September 1961, the patta certificates were also issued to them.
In the meantime, the government issued an order, vide GO 1122 dated June 29, 1961, revising its policy with regard to assignment of certain lands in the district headquarters and municipal towns. After about 10 years of the said assignment, the district revenue authorities issued show cause notice and later cancelled the assignment on the ground that assignment of government land within a radius of one mile from the limits of such towns was prohibited.
Aggrieved with the same, the assignee farmers moved the High Court and a single judge dismissed their plea in the year 2008. They then approached the division bench against the single judge order. The bench held that the appeal was valid.