Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed appeals filed by BRS MLAs Malla Reddy and Marri Rajashekar Reddy, along with Malla Reddy’s son C Mahender Reddy, challenging orders permitting a land survey in Jeedimetla, Quthbullapur mandal of Medchal–Malkajgiri district.
A division bench comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar upheld the earlier directions of a single judge allowing a survey of 1.29 acres of land in Survey No. 82.
Land survey doesn’t affect ownership rights: HC
The court held that conducting a land survey and determining boundaries is an administrative function and does not, by itself, affect ownership rights.
The dispute arose after S Srinivas Reddy, owner of 0.33 guntas of land in the same survey number, approached the High Court alleging encroachment.
He claimed that commercial complexes constructed by Malla Reddy and others had blocked the access road to his land. Acting on the complaint, a single judge ordered a survey to identify boundaries.
Challenging this order, the petitioners argued that revenue officials had no authority to conduct a survey as the land had allegedly been converted for non-agricultural use.
Rejecting the claim, the High Court noted that revenue records still classify the land as agricultural and that no evidence of conversion had been produced.
Bench dismisses eviction concerns
The bench also dismissed concerns that the survey could lead to eviction or adjudication of rights, stating that the exercise was limited to identifying boundaries. Interfering at this stage, the court observed, would only prolong the dispute and lead to further litigation.
The High Court directed that all concerned parties be issued notices and allowed to participate in the survey, stating that such a process would ensure fairness and transparency.
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