Telangana HC orders status quo on Bahadurguda disputed lands

The Telangana High Court has ordered authorities to maintain status quo on disputed lands at Bahadurguda village, Shamshabad, following petitions by farmers and landowners alleging illegal dispossession and demolition of structures.

By Our Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court directed the authorities to maintain status quo over the structures on the disputed lands at Bahadurguda village, Shamshabad, until further orders.

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The interim order came in two writ petitions filed by a group of farmers and private landowners alleging that officials of HYDRAA, the Revenue Department and the police attempted to dispossess them from their patta lands, demolished structures and interfered with their possession without issuing prior notice or following due process of law. The petitioners also alleged that the authorities resorted to force despite existing status quo orders governing portions of the land.

The farmers contended that officials accompanied by police personnel entered Bahadurguda village in the early hours of July 18, demolished dwelling units and fencing, confined several farmers and their family members and attempted to take possession of the land. They sought restoration of the status quo, compensation for the alleged damage and a CBI probe into the incident.

In the connected writ petition, another set of landowners alleged that HYDRAA had illegally entered their private patta lands measuring about 49 acres in Survey Nos. 37, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 54 without any authority or notice and sought protection from further interference.

After hearing both sides, Justice Vijaysen Reddy observed that the writ petitions involved serious disputed questions of title and possession. Holding that the petitioners’ interests required protection until the respondents filed their counters, the Court directed that the existing status quo with regard to the structures on the subject lands shall continue and posted the matters to August 11.