WP/18989/2018 of Teliki Raghu Ramulu, Vs Secy., Revenue dept., State of A.P., on 29 January 2026

ORDER:

The petitioners have entered into various agreements of sale on different dates with the respective extents of lands in Patta No.42 in Sy.No.151/1C, Sarada Nagar Layout, PR No.126/87, Dt.27.10.1987, situated at Vepagunta Village, Pendurthy Mandal, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Gopalapatnam S.R.O Limits, Visakhapatnam District and approached the second respondent for registration of the sale deeds, he refused to register the same, without assigning any reasons. Challenging the same, the petitioners filed the present Writ Petition.

2. Heard the arguments of learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue and perused the material available on record.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the respondent authorities, without receiving the documents, cannot refuse them for registration. If at all the respondent authorities want to refuse the documents for registration, specific reasons have to be assigned for doing the same.

4. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue, submits that consequent to the enactment of the A.P. Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1956 all the Inam lands were abolished and as such the lands in Survey No.151/C of Vepagunta Village were endowed by Sri Sri Sri Maharaja of Vizianagaram estate in favour of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Devasthanam, Simhachalam and the same were notified under

Section 22(A)(1)(c) in Annexure-III of the Registration (A.P. Amendment) Act, 2007. The petitioners’ lands fall in the same Survey No.151/1C of Vepagunta Village, Visakhapatnam District and the same is included into the prohibited lands notified under Section 22(A)(1)(c) of the Registration Act.

5. The land in question in Survey No.151/C, Sarada Nagar Layout, Vepagunta Village, has been notified as prohibited under Section 22(A)(1)(c) of the Registration Act. Due to it being an inam land belonging to Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Devasthanam, Simhachalam under the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1956 the erstwhile High Court at Hyderabad has previously in W.P. No.6343 of 2018 on 26.02.2018 has held that the registration authorities cannot refuse to receive the document, presented for registration and if the second respondent therein believes that such document cannot be registered due to the land being in the prohibited land under Section 22(A)(1)(c) of the Registration Act, they must receive the document and refuse to register it and make an endorsement to that effect passing a speaking order in accordance with Section 71 of the Registration Act.

6. While the petitioners argue that they hold valid agreements, the Revenue Authorities cannot treat the subject land as Devasthanam property leading to registration refusal. Earlier, this Court in W.P. No.6343 of 2018 has directed the respondent authorities to process the document under Section 22(A) of the

Registration Act and if refuse to pass a formal order under Section 71 of the Registration Act, allowing party to seek further recourse.

7. In view of the same, the second respondent is directed to receive the documents for registration, verify the status and pass a reasoned order under Section 71 of the Registration Act, if they intend to register due to the land falling in Survey No.151/C of Vepagunta Village.

8. Accordingly, with the above observation, the Writ Petition is disposed. No order as to costs.

Consequently, Miscellaneous Applications pending, if any, shall stand closed.

__________________________ JUSTICE SUMATHI JAGADAM Date: 30.01.2026 DSH