VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday issued important directions regarding the AP Land Titling Act and found fault with the civil courts for not accepting the property disputes citing the new Act.
It made it clear that civil courts should take up the hearing of property disputes like before while pointing out that the new Act (Land Titling Act 2023) has not come into force completely.
It took note of the submission made by the Advocate General that it would take time to set up the property registration system per Section 4 of the Act and evolving modalities for the same. The Advocate General was directed to file a counter with full details.
Further, notices were issued to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Revenue), Secretary (Law), and further hearings to February first week.
Challenging several Sections in the new Act, AP Bar Council members K Chidambaram, M Subba Rao and G Sudharshan Rao filed a petition and prayed to the court to declare the new Act illegal. All India Lawyers Union State president Sunkara Rajendra Prasad filed a PIL stating that the State government has no right to introduce the new Land Titling Act. He contended that the new Act is in violation of several Articles of the Constitution of India.
The old zonal system continues
The State government through Advocate General on Wednesday submitted to the AP High Court that though new districts have been formed, the old zonal system is being implemented. Hence, no one stands to suffer in the case of employment and education. He argued that there is no meaning in the statement that the formation of new districts violates the Presidential Order.
Hearing a PIL, a division bench of Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice R Raghunandan Rao, directed the AG to submit the details in the form of an affidavit.