Latest news with #TelanganaLandRevenueAct
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Telangana HC cancels land allotment to International arbitration centre; says govt acted in haste, land grant violated rules
HYDERABAD: The Telangana high court on Friday set aside a 2021 govt order that allotted 3.70 acres of prime land in Hyderabad's upscale Raidurg area free of cost to the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The centre was initiated and backed by former chief justice of India, Justice N V Ramana. A division bench of Justice K Lakshman and Justice K Sujana said the state govt displayed undue haste in the allotment. The previous BRS govt had allotted land on Dec 26, 2021. The bench was hearing two PILs challenging the allotment and the financial assistance of Rs 3 crore annually to the centre. At the time, the state had also decided to get all disputes arising from its tenders and other commercial deals necessarily referred to the centre. The bench ruled that the allotment violated the Telangana Land Revenue Act and the Andhra Pradesh Alienation of State Lands Rules, 1975, which mandate market-value payment for land given to private entities. The mediation centre, not being a statutory body or registered under the Companies Act, was deemed ineligible for free land. The bench, however, agreed with the view that the institutional arbitration must be promoted by govts and upheld the state's decision to give an annual financial assistance of Rs 3 crore and automatic reference of disputes. The judges added a rider that the state must review the performance of the centre every year after the passage of five years. HC flags centre's poor performance The two PILs were filed by Koti Raghunath Rao, an advocate from Hyderabad, and A Venkatarami Reddy, a retired govt employee. Senior counsel S Satyam Reddy appeared for one petitioner and questioned the state's support to the centre, which he described as a private trust. Low caseload a concern, says high court The Telangana high court, in its order expressed concern over the poor performance of the mediation centre. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "We would like to express our concern regarding the performance of the IAMC and its future." the judges said. "The statistics of the IAMC were placed before this Court. It was stated that as on 29.01.2025 only 15 arbitration cases were conducted by the IAMC. Out of the said 15 cases, 11 arbitration cases were conducted pro-bono." The high court bench pointed out that overall only 57 mediation cases were conducted by the centre, of which 17 were pro-bono. "The abysmally low caseload raises concerns regarding the future sustenance of the IAMC on its own. The govt, as a part of its policy, can provide financial assistance to a new institution like the IAMC. However, such financial assistance to a private arbitral institution cannot be perpetual," the bench added.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Telangana HC cancels land allotment to international arbitration centre in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Telangana HC Friday set aside a 2021 order of the previous BRS govt that had allotted 3.7 acres of prime land in Hyderabad's upscale Raidurg area free of cost to International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC). The centre was initiated and backed by former CJI N V Ramana. A division bench of Justices K Lakshman and K Sujana was hearing two PILs challenging the allotment of land and the financial assistance of Rs 3 crore annually to IAMC. HC noted that state govt had displayed undue haste in the allotment, violating Telangana Land Revenue Act and Andhra Pradesh Alienation of State Lands Rules, 1975, which mandate market-value payment for land given to private entities. It, however, agreed with the view that institutional arbitration must be promoted by govts and upheld the state's decision to give an annual financial assistance of Rs 3 crore.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
HC sets aside 3.70 acres land allotment to IAMC at Raidurg
Telangana High Court on Friday set aside the allotment of 3.7 acres of government land, made by the then BRS government in 2021, to International Arbitration and Mediation Centre which was formed vide a trust deed executed by the then Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana. The bench of Justices K. Lakshman and K. Sujana, pronouncing verdict in a batch of two PIL petitions challenging allotment of land, however, upheld the decisions of the government granting ₹3 crore to IAMC, providing operational expenses to it and designating it as the arbitration centre for all State government departments. The judges, however, made it clear that Telangana government should get IAMC's accounts audited by the Principal Accountant General (Audit) or any other competent officer. The Bench also said that 'any release of funds after the lapse of five years as mentioned in the MoU signed by IAMC and State government IN 2021 should be subject to the performance of IAMC'. The PIL petitioners contended that government abused its power and caused significant loss to the State's exchequer by allocating 3.70 acres of land in prime locality like Raidurg of Serilingampally in Rangareddy district, which areas is centre of IT companies and valued at hundreds of crores of rupees, freely to a private entity like IMAC. According to them, there is no provision permitting the government land free of cost. They also apprehended that allotment of land free of cost to IAMC and financial assistance involved favouritism and possible misuse of allotted land. They also said vesting such high-value land in a trust which can sell the same was arbitrary and there was no justifiable public purpose in allowing that land. Responding to these contentions, the State government and the IAMC said the land was allotted under Section 25 of the Telangana Land Revenue Act, 1317 Fasli and the allotment was justified legally. Observing that matters involving 'allotment of land and distribution of State largesse cannot be done free of cost', the two-judge Bench said the governments should ensure that they are adequately compensated for parting with natural resources vested in them. 'Free allotment of land cannot be justified unless the purpose of allotment is greater and such allotment is to an institution or person who earns no profit,' it said. The Bench pointed out that 'the conduct of the government in allotting the land was unduly hasty'. The possession certificate was issued to IAMC 'even fore formulating and communicating the terms of allotment'. 'Such hasty decisions do not bode well and often result in exercise of power contrary to the procedure,' the judgement said. Discretionary power should not only be fair and transparent, but also should be seen to be fair and transparent, the Bench said. Noting that allotment of land falls under the realm of government policy, the Bench said the GO Ms. no. 126 issued by the government allotting land to IAMC was in contravention of the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) Alienation of State Lands and Land Revenue Rules-1975. The allotment was also in violation of GO Ms. 571 comprising uniform guidelines and constituted 'Government Land Allotment Policy', the judgement said.
New Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Khajaguda case: Telangana HC directs petitioners to identify grabbed land
A division bench of the Telangana High Court on Monday directed the petitioners to submit a detailed representation identifying the exact location of government land allegedly encroached by private parties. The matter was adjourned for two weeks. The PIL was filed by MLAs Janampalli Anirudh Reddy, Yennam Srinivas Reddy, Dr Bhukya Murali Naik and Dr Kuchkulla Rajesh Reddy, challenging a 1995 order by the Rangareddy district revenue officer that rectified survey number errors related to Poramboke land in Khajaguda village. The petitioners allege that 27 acres and 18 guntas in Survey No. 27 were unlawfully transferred to private persons, Sikendar Khan and Salabat Khan, and later sold to members of Beverly Hills Owners Welfare Society. They claim high-rise towers and a ready-mix plant near Oakridge School were approved in violation of the Telangana Land Revenue Act, the Records of Rights Act, 1973, and environmental norms. The court directed them to submit a comprehensive representation with specifics before the next hearing.
