VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court found fault with the revenue department for changing the names in the revenue records without the knowledge of land owners, besides not issuing notices to them.
It made it clear that in case the name in the records has to be changed, the affected party should be issued a notice and his arguments should be taken into consideration, before making any changes. Bypassing rules and changing names in the revenue records is not allowed. Further, the court said such a practice is against the verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in the Chinnam Pandurangam case.
The court issued an interim stay on the tahsildar orders renaming the lands belonging to the petitioners from Parikota village in Nellore district as government lands. It directed the officials not to interfere in the land issue of the petitioners.
When the lands belonging to P Satyanagendra Prasad of Ramannapalem in Mogalthur mandal in West Godavari district were given to a third party by changing the names in the revenue records, he approached the High Court.
Taking cognisance of the petition, the court directed the assistant government pleader to submit complete details of the case in the form of an affidavit, and adjourned the hearing after summer vacation.