HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has pulled up the Land Acquisition Officer and Special Deputy Collector (Unit-VII), Rajanna Sircilla district, for failing to appear in person in a writ petition concerning non-payment of compensation to land losers.
Justice NV Shravan Kumar was hearing a writ petition filed by Joginapally Mangamma and two others, seeking directions to declare as illegal and arbitrary the failure of the authorities to pay the awarded compensation of approximately `19.05 lakh. The amount relates to a house at Cheerlavancha village in Thangalapally mandal, covered under a land acquisition award dated April 18, 2023.
The petitioners also challenged the refusal of authorities to receive a legal notice dated March 21, 2026.
During the hearing, the Government Pleader for Land Acquisition filed a petition seeking exemption from the officer’s personal appearance, citing a meeting with the deputy chief minister. However, counsel for the petitioners submitted that despite issuing a legal notice seeking payment of compensation with interest, it was refused by the officer concerned.
Taking note of the submissions, the court refused to grant exemption from personal appearance. Justice Shravan Kumar directed the respondent officer to appear in person on the next date of hearing and explain the reasons for refusing to receive communications from land losers.