HYDERABAD: The state government is learnt to have drawn up district-wise lists to bring nearly 93 lakh acres under the prohibitory category, following inputs submitted by district collectors. If the revised list is formally notified, it could unsettle thousands of landholders who are currently in possession of premium parcels.
Under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, 1908, lands belonging to the government, forests, Bhoodan, assigned lands, endowments, Waqf, local bodies, and religious institutions are placed in the prohibited list and are barred from sale, lease, mortgage, transfer, or any other form of alienation. They are also ineligible for registration.
While the proposed extent is now said to be close to 93 lakh acres, the actual size of land already under prohibition remains uncertain as earlier records were patchy and, in many cases, incomplete.
A senior official associated with the land administration department told TNIE that the total extent of land currently reflected on the Bhu Bharati portal could not be precisely calculated. “In several cases, only survey numbers have been entered without mentioning the extent of land. As a result, the aggregate area under the prohibited list is unclear,” the official said.
Although the Stamps and Registrations department received the revised proposals from district collectors nearly two months ago, the government has so far held back from enforcing the updated list.
“Enforcement could lead to unrest among certain sections,” the official said. He added that the collectors’ recommendations were based on detailed district-level reviews, and warned that the extent under Section 22-A could rise further.
What lends volatility to the issue is the location of a large share of these 93 lakh acres. A good chunk of these 93 lakh acres lies in and around Hyderabad’s peri-urban economic zones, where land values are high and development pressures intense.