GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

REVENUE (LANDs-I) DEPARTMENNT

[Link].REVO1-LANA/19/2020-SECY-LANDS-ENDT Dated:21.12.2020.
Sub: Reforms in Land dministration
Study of BSOs and various
Revenue Acts - Report submitted by the Official Committee
-
Instructions issued on certain procedural changcs recommendcd -
Reg.
Ref:1..[Link],86, Dated: 09-09-2020 of General Administration
(Cabinet-1) Department
2. [Link]. No.
Dated:
REVO1-LANA/1912020-SECY-LANDS-ENDT,
13/10/2020 of Revenue (Lands.l) Department.
[Link] of Official Committec vide Letter No.350/GAD/SR/
2020-1,Dated: 19,.11.2020 of Ex. Officio Principal Secretary
to Govt., GA
(SR) Department.
**

In the G.0. 1st cited, a Cabinet

Sub-Committee has been
constituted to examine and make appropriate recommendations to
Government on Land Administration, Water Management, Land Titling and
Re-survey issues.

2. T Government of Andhra Pradesh is planning to take up re-survey of

lands and as a prerequisite, it is advisable to have clarity on the existing land
issues and undertake exercise of
updating the existing Acts with required
amendments or clarify on the areas of ambiguity, so that re-survey
be more effective. The Government constituted an official Committee vide
wil
memo 2nd cited for this purpose.

3. The report submitted by the Commnittee in the reference 3rd cited, consists of two
parts as follows.

Part-A: Deals with instructions to be issued by the Government to the field

level functionaries to bring out more clarity on the existing guidelines

Part-B: Deals with matters on which policy decisions are required to be taken by
the Govermment.

+. In view of the Re-Survey of the lands in the State going to be taken up by the
Government and to make it more effective and fool proof to the extent possible, after
careful examination of the report it is decided to issue detailed instructions to the
District Collectors to clarify the existing guidelines, for implementation of the same by
31-12-2020. Subjects on which policy decisions required to be taken are being
presented before the cabinet subcommittee for appropriate decisions.

Section 22-A of the Registration Act, 1908:

1) Assigned lands:

A) Lands assigned to landless poor persons prior to 18-6-1954:

A condition prohibiting transler of lands was incorporated for the first

time under [Link]. No. 1142, dated 18-6-1954. The Government issued
[Link].575, Revenue{Assignment-1) Dept,dt. 16-11-2018. Collectors

shall suomoto take up scrutiny of the list of

properties prohibited from
and take action for dcletion of all genuine assignments made
registration
prior to 18-6-1954, without relerence to the conditions in the assignment
revised list to the Registration Department. In
patta form, and to furnish
respect of deletion of
the 22Al{e) cases the required proposals shall be
the Chief Commissioner of Land
submitted to the Government through
Administration and Special Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada.
 In this respect, the
permanent R.S.R/Fair Adangal/IFR, Approved
Survey Record, Registered Sale decds ctc., fool proof records shal be
taken as basis and see that fabricated/forged/fake documents are not
relied upon. Cross check of the relevant other records are required tor

verification in this respect.

B) Assignments made to Ex-servicemen:

The Government issucd [Link].1 1 17, Revenue (Assignment-1)

Department, datcd 11- 11-1993, modifying [Link].743, dated 30-4-1963
after
permitting the Ex-servicemen for transfer of their assigned lands
utilization of the land for a period of ten (10) years from the date of assignment
in terms of the conditions of patta. [Link].279, Revenue (Assignment-l)
Dept, dt.04-07-2016, dispensed with the necessity of the NOC for registration
of such lands.

Collectors shall suomoto take up scrutiny of the list of properties

prohibited from registration and take action

i. For deletion of all genuine assigned lands to ex-servicemen

in terms of conditions of G..[Link]. 743, Revenue
Department, dt.30.04.1963 and a period of ten (10) years has
elapsed from the date of assignment;
11. In cases of assignments where the period of ten years is not
yet completed, the date on which the prohibition on
registration is going to lapse shall be mentioned in the 22-A
list notified.
iii. Under any circumstances Bogus/Fake pattas shall not be
entertained. Cross checking the Fasali year, the signatures of
the officer worked during the period, Darakhast Register
entries, approved survey record, Assignment Committee
proceedings, Encumbrance details etc., shall be cross
verified meticulously.
iv.
The officers recommended fake cases shall be given stringent
punishment in addition to the recovery of the value fromn
them.

Assignments made to Political sufferers

B)

[Link]. No. 1743, Revenue Department, dated 28-8-1959, specifically

them
to transfer the lands assigned to
permitted the political sufferers the Collectors shall suomoto
without imposing any conditions. Therefore,
prohibited from registration and
take up scrutiny of the list of properties
made to political sufferers after
take action for deletion of all assignments
and identity of political sufferers
satisfactory verification of genuineness sufferers. Revised lists are to
with reference to the list of approved political
be furnished to the Registration Department.

Freedom fighters:
C) Assignments made to
dated 15-12-
Revenue (Assn.l) Department,
Under [Link].1045, contained in
on alienation by
the Freedom Fighters
2004, prohibition 11-3-1997 and
Department, dated
[Link]. 185, Revenue (Assn.l) was lifted,
Department, dated 31-10-1997,
[Link].917, Revenue (Assn.l) w a s substituted
[Link]. which contained prohibition
and para-3(3) of the said are free to sell away
their
clause: "The Freedom Fighters
with the following
of ten years".
land and house sites after period
a
assigned
 Hence, the Collectors
shall suomoto take
properties prohibited from registration and take actionscrutiny
up of the list of

for deletion of all

Fighters where a genuine assignments made to the Freedom
period
of ten has
assignment, without entertaining years
the
elapsed from the date of
purpose the permanent Survey, fake/fabricated
Settlement
pattas. For this
Division record shall be verified. record, approved Sub-
ii. While
verifying Patta certificates, cross
year, the checking of the Fasali
signatures of the officer worked during
Register entries, approved survey the period, DDk
record,
proceedings, Encumbrance details etc., shall Assignment Committee
meticulously and a certification shall be obtained be cross verified
mandatorily.
ii. In cases of
over, the date on which the
assignments where the period of ten years is not
yet
may be mentioned in the 22-A
prohibition on registration is going to lapse
list/notification.
D) Assignment of house-sites:
Government through Act No. 11 of 2019 have
Lands [Prohibition of amended A.P. Assigned
Transfers]
house-sites assigned after
Act,1977 to lift the prohibition on sale of
completion of a period of 20 years after the date of
assignment.
Hence, the Collectors shall suomoto take
prohibited from registration and take actionscrutiny
up of the list of
properties
i. For deletion of all house-site assignments made where a
period of twenty years has elapsed from the date of
assignment
ii. In of
cases
assignments where the period of twenty
years is
not yet over, the date on which the prohibition on
is going to lapse
registration
may be mentioned in the 22-A
list/notification. Revised lists are to be furnished to the
Registration Department.
2) Government lands:

a) Prohibited from Registration

i. Lands classified as "Porambokes" in RSR and

classification of
which has not been changed
subsequently for assignment,
1. Lands classified as "Assessed Waste" in RSR
and not
assigned subsequently.
i. Lands classified as "Un-assessed Waste in RSR and classification
of which has not been changed
subsequently for assignment.
v. Lands acquired by the Government.
v. Lands belonging to Government Departments of State and
Centre.
vi. Lands belonging to State/Central Government organizations
/Institutions/Endowments and Charities/Universities.
vii. Lands under hypothecation of organizations/Institutions
belonging to Government until the hypothecation is
released/relaxed.
viii. Lands recognized under the Scheduled Tribes and other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (ROFR) Act, 2006.

3
b) Not prohibited from registration:
In respect of Gramakantam both in rural and urban
areas, the Collectors
shall suomoto take up scrutiny of the list of
properties prohibited from
registration and take action to furnish the list of
Government/Endowment/Wakf properties/Roads/properties of local
bodies/ tanks other communal porambokes specifying the areas to facilitate
registration of private holdings existing in Gramakantams and rectify mistakes
if any. But, utmost care shall be
ensured in identifying the lands in
coordination with concerned departments.
3. Dotted lands:

Consequent on enforcement of the

(Updation in Resettlement Register) Act,Andhra Pradesh Dotted lands
identified thousands of acres of 2017, the District Collectors
Dotted lands eligible for conversion as
settlement patta lands. Prior to
Act the Dotted lands were
Government lands and notified under section treated as
1908. After careful 22-A (1) of the
verification and declaration of the lands registration Act
lands as per the RSR such genuine Dotted
of Section
lands that were converted as
4(3) under the Act shall only be excluded frompatta land in terms
published by the the 22-A (1) lists
taken in carrying out thisGovernment/District
Collectors. Utmost care should be
exercise by the District Collectors.
4. Private lands:

Reports being received by the Government that some Private

are
lands also were notified under Section 22-A pattaa
(1) of the
causing inconvenience to the land holders. The Registration Act, 1908
carefully verify the RSR/Fair Adangal/ Fair District Collectors shall1
Inam Settlements records Adangal of Estate settlements /
APLR (COAH) Act 1973 cases
cases/APSALTR,1959 cases and other ULC Act 1976
thoroughly and take decision in important Acts and recordds
of such claims. It is
observe that the lands shown as respect essential to
also become Government lands patta lands in the RSR/Fair
Adangal / IFR
declared as Ceiling surplus subsequently due to Land Acquisition,
land/ relinquished lands / Escheat lands /
Bought in lands etc.,. Hence, mere appearance of the pattadar names in the
settlement register should not be taken as
decision. All such records need to be verified only criteria for taking a
carefully in such claims.
5. Estate Lands

Section 1(4) of The Andhra Pradesh

Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 states (Andhra Area) Estates (Abolition and
that,"
7, 8, 9, 58-A, 62, 67 and 68 shall come into
This section and Sections 2,
4, 5,
shall come into force in regard to force at and the
once; rest of this Act
any zamindari, under tenure or nam estate, on
such date as Government
may, by notification, appoint."

Section 2(10) says that "'notified" date in relation to an

date appointed by a notification issued under Section estate, means the
1, sub-section
provisions of this Act (other than Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, (4),
as the date
on which the
67 and 68) shall come into 8, 9, 58-A, 62,
force in the estate, and the word "notified" shall be
construed accordingly;

Section 9. Determination of
Inam Estates. (1) As soon as be after the
passing of this Act and subject to the provisions of Section 9-A,may the Settlement
Officer may suomotu and shall on application, inquire and determine whether
Inam village or hamlet or khandriga any
estate or not.
granted as Inam in his
jurisdiction is an inam

4
 (2) Before holding the inquiry, thc
Settlenent
published in the village or hamlet or Khandiqa granted Officer shall cause to be
as nam in the
manner, a notice requiing all person:s claiming an interest in prescribed
or hamlet or Khandrnga granted as nam to any land in the village
file before him statements bearing on
the question whether the village or hamlet or
Inam estate or not.
Khandriga granted as nam is an

(3) The Settlement Officer slhall then hear the

parties and afford to them a
reasonable opportunity of adducing all such evidence either oral or documentary as
they may desire, to examiine all such documents as he has reason to believe are in
the possession of the Government and have a
and give the decision n writing.
bearng on the question before him

(4) (a) (i) Against a decision of the Settlement Officer under sub-section (3),
the Govermment may, within one
year from the date of the decision or if such
decision was given before the commencement of the Andhra Pradesh
(Andhra Area)
Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) (Amendment) Act, 1957, within
one year from such commencement, and any person aggrieved by such decision
may, within two months from the date of the decision or such further time as the
Tribunal may in its discretion allow, appeal to the Tribunal.

ii) f, before the commencement of the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area)

Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) (Amendment) Act, 1957, any order
has been passed by the Tibunal dismissing an appeal filed by the Goverrment
against a decision of the Settlement Officer on the ground that the Govemment
were not competent to file an appeal under this clause or that such appeal was
time-bared, the Tribunal shall, on an application filed by the Government wthin
one year from the commencement of the Amendment Act aforesaid, vacate the order
already passed by it and pass afresh order on merits.

(b) Where any such appeal is preferred by an aggrieved person, the Tribunal
shall give notice thereof to the Govemment and in the case of all appeals, whether
by the Govermment or by an aggrieved person, the Tribunal shall cause to be
published in the village or hamlet or Khandriga granted as inam in the prescribed
manner, a notice requiring all persons who have applied to the Settlement Officer
under sub-section (1) orfiled before him statements under sub-section (2) to appear
before it, and after giving them 2 and the Govemment a reasonable opportunity of
being heard, give its decision.
(c) The decision of the Tribunal under this sub-section shall be final and not
be liable to be questioned in any Court of Law.

Consequent on enforcement of Estate Abolition Act and conversion

into Ryotwari settlement Act, 1948, the Estatedars/ enjoyers were issued
Ryotwaripattas duly preparing the Survey record, Fair Adangal of the
Villages mentioning details of pattadars and the Government lands. The
limitation period for preferring appeals was already completed long back and
no fresh appeal can be entertained. Aggrieved persons have already filed
appeals before the competent authorities with in the period of limitation
prescribed under the Acts. Hence, there is almost no scope for pending
cases under this Act expect in a very few cases and pending unsettled 13
Estates villages in Vizianagaram District and in (1) Inam Estate Prakasam
District.

Instances are coming to the notice that some of the officers are
passing orders afresh now in respect of settled estate village without
verifying the details of approved permanent Survey and Settlement records.
Utmost care shall be ensured by the District Collectors and stringent action
will be taken against the erring officers
indulging in such irregularities.
 Section 3(2) of the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Inams (Abolition And
Conversion hto Ryotwari) Act, 1956 states that before holding such an enquiry,
Tahsildar shall cause to be published in the village or town where the Inam lands
are situated, a notice in the prescribed manner requiring every person or
institution claiming an interest in any such Inam land, to file before him, a
statement of particulars in respect of items (i), (i) and (ii) in sub-section (1)
within the prescribed time."

Section 3(4) of the Act says that "Any person or institution aggrieved by a
decision of the Tahsildar under sub-scction (3), may appeal to the Revenue Court
within sixty days from the date of communication of the decision fx x x] and the
Revenue Court may after giving the parties to the appeal a reasonable
opportunity of being heard, pass such orders on the appeal as it thinks fit."

Inspite of the above, it is observed that claims are still being received in
some of the districts in already settled villages, making way to unnecessary
litigations ,though only 9 Inam villages in Guntur district and 4 Inam villages in
Visakhapatnam district remain to be settled.

It is strictly instructed that no claim should be received in any of the

settled erstwhile Inam villages at present as per the provision of the Act.

Action to be taken to settle 9 villages in Guntur District and 4 in

Visakhapatnam District.

Consequent on enforcement of the AP Inams abolition and conversion

into Ryotwari Settlement Act 1956, issuing a notification under section 3(2)
of the Act the Inamdars enjoyers were issued Ryotwari pattas duly
preparing the Survey record, IFR of the Villages mentioning details of
pattadars and the Government lands. Aggrieved persons have also claimed
appeals under section 3(4) of the Act before the competent authorities within
the period of 60 days limitation prescribed under the Act. There is almost
no scope for pending cases under this Act expect in a very few cases and
pending unsettled 13 Inam villages.

orders
Reports are being received that some of the officers are passing
afresh now in respect of settled Inam villages without verifying the details of
shall be
approved permanent Survey and Settlement records. Utmost care

ensured by the District Collectors and stringent action will be taken against
the erring officers indulging in such irregularities.

7. General Instructions to be followed strictly:

Any parcel of land/property to be prohibited from registration

A]
should be clearly identifiable. It should contain details of Survey No., Sub
Division No., Door No. etc details so that properties of other persons who
are not concerned are affected.

It is reported that in the existing lists of properties prohibited

Bfrom registration under section 22-A of the Registration Act 1908,
be noted that while
certain mistakes were crept in. It is to
can be
corrections/ modifications to the lists sent under 22-A[1]a] to [d
done by the officers notified and additions/deletions to lists notified by

the Government under 22- be done by the Government alone.

A[1][e] can
send necessary proposals
Therefore, the District Collectors shall Administration and
of Land Special
through the Chief Commissioner the Government after
Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada to
Chief Secretary,
meticulous verification of the records.

6
And
v C) It is being reported that mistakes/errors have been
again and again into the creeping
lists/notifications prohibiting registration of
properties under Section 22-A causing avoidable inconvenience to
citizens and resulting in needless
therefore emphasised that litigation before several courts. It is
care and
competent authorities should exercise utmost
diligence in the matter of inclusion/deletion of properties
in the lists to be communicated to the
the
Registration Department and also in
proposals to be sent to the
Government for notifying under 22-A[1||ej
ensuring the correctness thoroughly.
D The officials of Registration Department have no authority to
add any property to the list of properties prohibited under Section 22-A.
The competent authorities notified can only effect required modifications.
Section 22-A[1 ]le] clearly says that only those properties attached by Civil,
Criminal, Revenue Courts and Direct and Indirect Tax Laws and others need
to be notified by the Government.

E] Oficers of Revenue Department for change of entries in any revenue

record the person affected should be heard after issuing a notice and a
speaking order has to be passed and communicated to that person.

F] Andhra Pradesh Rights in Land and Pattadar Pass Books Act,

1971: Record of Rights (RoR) are prepared in Form-I and maintained in Form
1B. As per Section 6 of the above Act, every entry in Record of Rights [ROR] shall
be presumed to be true until the contrary is proved or until it is otherwise
amended in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Tahsildar can carry
out amendments to ROR on coming to know of transactions such as sale,
mortgage, gift, lease etc., in accordance with the procedure laid down in the
Act. Appeal on these decisions of Tahsildar lies to Revenue Divisional
Officer/Sub-Collector. The revenue functionaries do not have the authority to
carry out any changes in entries already made without any order from Civil
Court. They can at best correct clerical errors. Only the Collector [Joint
Collector) has the authority to take up suomoto revision under Section 9. Even
Collector cannot pass orders, affecting any person without giving an
opportunity for hearing. There are frequent complaints from citizens that their
names in ROR are changed. The Collectors should ensure that stern action is
taken on the employees resorting to such illegal activities.

G) Litigation:
The National Litigation Policy 2010 and the A P State
Policy envisage the Government
Litigation
to be an efficient and
responsible litigant. Once litigation commences, it usually
becomes difficult to reversethe decision despite there
reasonable grounds. being

Joint Collector (Ryothu Bharosa and

Revenue) [JC- RB & R]
should review cases pending with courts
every month.
JC- RB & R should ensure that counter
affidavits are filed in
time to avoid courts
granting injunction. Once injunction orders
are passed it takes a
long time to get them vacated.
Suits are often filed in Civil Courts
makingis Tahsildars
respondents. No suit against the Government as
maintainable
unless Collector of the District or the
Government is made respondent. This is Secretary to the
decided by the Hon'ble
Supreme Court in Appeal (civil) 8580 of 1994 between Chief
Conservator of Forests VS Collectors
AndOrson 18
February, 2003. JC- RB 8& R should
that thhe
ensure
Government Pleaders bring this to the notice of the Courts and
get all the suits where Tahsildars are made respondents arc
closed.
 in all the cases of
award action is finalized
It needs to be ensured that post lands acquired are
H) Government and the details
of all the
lands by the
acquired 22-A lists.
in the land records and included in
updated
should be
number wise ground truthing
otf records survey
1) For purification in accordance with
check survey number wise,
done duly imposing quality
Revenue and Survey records and only then go for updation.

that thesc instructions are

5. Collectors should ensure
Senior officers
by random verification.
implemented in letter and spirit mandals for
available in the District may be kept
in charge of a group of
to ensure that these
supervision. Care also needs to be taken
eifective avoidable litigation and see
instructions issued with the objective of reducing
that revenue records are purified/updated simultaneously.

instructed to scrupulously adhere to the above

6. The Collectors are
instructions and implement in full shape by 31.12.2020 and a complianCe

report should be sent to the Government.

[Link]
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY To GOVERNMENT

To
All the District Collectors.
Copy to:
The Special CS & Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, A.P.,

Vijayawada
The OSD to [Link] (Rev, R&S)

/FORWARDED:: BY ORDER//

SECTION OFFICER