Telangana HC pulls up Endowments Dept for withholding temple land records

Telangana High Court reprimanded the Endowments Department for failing to place crucial records of temple lands before the court. Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti directed the Commissioner to appear with complete records from 1925 onwards, warning of further action if not complied

Hyderabad: Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Endowments Department for failing to place crucial records relating to temple lands before the court, despite the issue being litigated for several years.

The court, while hearing a batch of writ petitions concerning lands in various survey numbers of Devaryamjal village in Shamirpet mandal, directed the Commissioner of the Telangana Endowments Department to personally appear before the court on the next date of hearing along with the entire original record of temple lands from 1925–26 till November 26 this year.

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The petitioners contended that the inclusion of their lands in a memo dated September 25, 2014, issued by the Endowments Department to the Registration Department, is illegal, unconstitutional, and violative of their rights. They asked the court to strike down the memo insofar as it pertains to their lands, contending that it is ultra vires the Endowments Act and the Registration Act.

They also challenged the action of the Sub-Registrar in refusing to register and release sale deeds relating to their lands alleging that the officer acted solely on the basis of the disputed memo.

The judge made it clear that the record must include all OAs, orders passed in the OAs, and all material relating to the full extent of land in question. The court expressed displeasure that an earlier order of a learned single judge which specifically dealt with the OAs filed before the Department was never brought to its notice by any party.

The judge described this omission as “unfortunate” and stressed the need for full disclosure when issues of such importance are being adjudicated. The Bench also warned that if the complete record is not produced on the next date, the court would be compelled to take further action.

The Registry has been instructed to communicate the order to the Commissioner by special messenger to ensure compliance. The matter has been posted to Thursday for further hearing.