The Andhra Pradesh state government has informed the High Court that it has not yet appointed land titling officers and appellate authorities as required for the implementation of the AP Land Titling Act. This revelation came during a hearing on multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Act. The state government has sought the High Court's directions to lower courts, urging them not to reject land dispute petitions due to the delayed enforcement of the new legislation. The Act has faced opposition from various bar associations, with concerns about its impact on the judiciary's powers and potential issues such as corruption and political influence.
The Andhra Pradesh state government informed the High Court that it has not yet appointed land titling officers and appellate authorities as required for the implementation of the AP Land Titling Act. The revelation came during a hearing on multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Act. Advocate General S Sriram, representing the state government, sought the High Court's directions to lower courts urging them not to reject land dispute petitions in light of the delayed enforcement of the new legislation.
Several bar associations across the state have been expressing their dissent against the AP Land Titling Act, contending that it oversteps into the judiciary's domain and diminishes its powers. Senior counsels Ganta Ramarao, N Subbarao, and Y Balaji, representing the petitioners, argued that granting the executive the authority to decide ownership rights could lead to various issues, including potential corruption and political influence. They further asserted that lower courts have been rejecting petitions in several instances, as the new legislation removes the powers of district courts to decide civil disputes.
Advocate General Sriram clarified that the Act has not come into force as the necessary notifications under Section 4 of the Act, appointing designated authorities, are yet to be issued. Given this situation, he urged the courts not to reject land dispute based civil petitions, emphasizing that the legislation has not been officially enforced.
In response to Sriram's submissions, the High Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice R Raghunandan Rao, decided to postpone the matter for further hearing to the first week of February. Additionally, the court directed the state government to file counter affidavits in response to the concerns raised during the hearing.
The AP Land Titling Act has sparked legal and procedural challenges, with stakeholders expressing apprehensions about the potential impact on land disputes and its resolution in the state. As the High Court hears the case, the fate of the Act and its implications on land-related matters remain subject to ongoing legal scrutiny and deliberation.
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