Lokayukta Flooded with Land Dispute Cases

Kurnool: Land-related issues are not only troubling the civil courts but also affecting legal institutions like the Lokayukta, where the number of cases has been rising significantly. In 2023, there were a staggering 1,473 complaints out of a total of 2,813 cases, compared to 1,132 complaints in 2022. Officials said that interventions of the institution led to the recovery of approximately `41.13 crore in 2023 alone, directly benefiting the state exchequer.

In fact, the Centre for Policy Research estimates that 7.7 million people in India are affected by conflicts over 2.5 million hectares of land, jeopardising investments valued at $200 billion between 2019 and 2024.

Approximately, 25 per cent of all cases decided by the Supreme Court involve land disputes, with 30 per cent of those cases specifically relating to land acquisition. Around 66 per cent of all civil cases in India are related to land or property disputes.

This situation is not unique to Andhra Pradesh, which has been grappling with increasing land dispute cases. Victims frequently approach various courts, including the Apex Courts, and organisations like the Lokayukta and the State Human Rights Commissions for resolution.

The Lokayukta is not limited to addressing corruption and other malpractices by public servants; it also extends to the redressal of citizens’ grievances, investigates allegations against public servants, and deals with various other issues.

“The reason is evident: Most people, especially those involved in farming, are not familiar with the Andhra Pradesh Record of Rights Act, 1989. The revenue mechanism has also failed to effectively disseminate this information among the general public, complicating matters. People often approach the courts even for minor issues, indicating a lack of knowledge among both officials and landholders,” said Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy.

He noted a significant surge in such cases during his term from 2019 to 2024 and made efforts to resolve them as quickly as possible. Justice Lakshmana Reddy pointed out that many farmers are unaware of the entries in the WebLand database and the necessary procedures to follow. In some cases, property records are altered without the owners' knowledge. Disturbingly, there are instances where more entries exist in the WebLand records than the actual amount of land in a village, highlighting the dire state of the situation.

The Conclusive Land Titling system, used in countries like Australia, England, and Canada, where the state (government) guarantees land titles, has been proposed by NITI Aayog for adoption in India. A model bill has been drafted to facilitate this transition, but states have been reluctant to implement it. Justice Lakshmana Reddy believes there is an urgent need to implement this system strictly to avoid unnecessary court cases.

He added that interventions of their office have led to the recovery of substantial amounts, totaling around `41.13 crore in 2023 alone, directly benefiting the state exchequer by reclaiming misused funds and others.