Hyderabad HC tells officials not to pass orders on land allotment to IFFCO

The bench expressed displeasure over the authorities’ failure to take a decision till date in respect of ownership rights of the lands despite the order passed by the court in 2008.
Hyderabad High Court. (File photo)
Hyderabad High Court. (File photo)

HYDERABAD: Making it clear that the court would look into the ‘irregularities’ that took place in the allotment of lands to IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited), at Regadichilaka and other villages of Kodavalur mandal in Nellore district for the purpose of setting up  a special economic zone, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the revenue authorities concerned not to pass any orders on the lands.

The bench expressed displeasure over the authorities’ failure to take a decision till date in respect of ownership rights of the lands despite the order passed by the court in 2008.

The bench comprising CJ TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice SV Bhatt was passing this order in respect of the petitions filed separately by E Sridhar Reddy and three others and K Suseelamma and 121 others of SPSR Nellore district, seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to submit a status report on the assigned lands which were allotted to IFFCO situated in Regadichilaka, Racherlapadu and Bodduvaripalem villages of Kodavalur mandal, Uchaguntapalem and Chowtaputhedu villages of Dagadarthi mandal and North Amuluru in the district. The petitioners sought a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in land allotments to IFFCO.

Earlier, senior counsel S Ramachandra Rao, appearing for the petitioners, urged the court to set aside the allotment of about 2,776 acres which included 1,009 acres of Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy temple in Kovur mandal, 1,129 acres of assigned land and 500 acres of government land to IFFCO. He alleged that neither was Land Acquisition Act invoked nor was any compensation paid to the temple or to the assignees. In 2008, the court then directed the revenue authorities to maintain status quo. The court directed   IFFCO and others not to provide rights to third parties over the lands. The the court directed the Kavali RDO to ascertain the ownership rights of the lands belonging to the temple.

On Thursday, special counsel D Ramesh placed some records pertaining to the subject lands. After perusing the same, the bench directed him to produce pre-abolition record also by Friday.

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