Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday expressed reservations on the validity of GO 84 (July 26, 2023) for regularising sale transactions executed by way of “unregistered documents with attestation of notary” in respect of non-agricultural lands.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice T. Vinod Kumar, said that GO 84 was illegal. However, the court issued notices to the chief secretary, principal secretary, revenue (registration) department, principal secretary (MA&UD) and commissioner and director of municipal administration, directing them to respond to the notices by giving reasons for issuing the GO 84.
The court said that it was not inclined to issue any interim orders to stay the GO 84 as it wished to hear the contentions of the government in this regard.
The bench was adjudicating a PIL filed by Bhagyanagar Citizens Welfare Association and another seeking a direction to suspend the GO. The petitioners submitted that through this there were chances to regularise properties, including those listed as prohibited properties under section 22A of the Registration Act, 1908.
Counsel for the petitioner informed the court that this relaxation was extended by the state government to pave the way for unscrupulous individuals to own fraudulently acquired properties, leaving genuine buyers in the lurch.
