HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE RAMESH RANGANATHAN WRIT PETITION No.10442 of 2010 ORDER: Heard Sri V.V.N. Narasimham, Learned Counsel for the petitioner and Sri V. Venugopala Rao, Learned Standing Counsel for the respondent-Devasthanam. At their request the Writ Petition is being disposed of at the stage of admission. The petitioner claims to be tenant of the lands belonging to the respondent-Devasthanam and to have been in possession of the said lands for the last several years. He would refer to several proceedings under the Inam’s Abolition Act. The petitioner would submit that the respondent-Devasthanam issued a notice dated 27.03.2010 informing him that he was in unauthorized occupation of the property, and would come within the definition of “Encroacher” as per the provisions under Section 83 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (Act 30 of 1987). The petitioner was called upon to hand over possession of the scheduled property to the respondent-Devasthanam within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notice failing which necessary and appropriate legal action would be initiated under Section 83 of Act 30 of 1987. The petitioner claims to have preferred an appeal. The petitioner’s grievance is that officials of the respondent-Devasthanam visited his house on 16.04.2010 and informed him that he was an ‘encroacher’ though he was already issued with a notice to that effect. Even if the petitioner is held to be in unauthorized occupation of the property, the only mode to evict him, from the property belonging to a religious institution or endowment, is under Section 83 of Act 30 of 1987. I consider it appropriate, in such circumstances, to direct the respondent-Devasthanam not to dispossess the petitioner from the lands in question, or demolish the structures, except in accordance with Section 83 of Act 30 of 1987. The Writ Petition is, accordingly, disposed of. However, in the circumstances, without costs. RAMESH RANGANATHAN, J Date:30.04.2010 usd