THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE V.V.S. RAO WRIT PETITION No.3516 of 2004 DATED:17.08.2006 Between: M. Jayapradha and others ..Petitioners And The District Collector, Chittor and others. ..Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE V.V.S. RAO WRIT PETITION No.3516 of 2004 ORDER: The petitioners are working as Journalists in Vaartha, Prajasakthi, Andhra Bhoomi, Eenadu and Andhra Prabha newspapers, respectively. On a request made by them, the third respondent assigned an extent of Acs.0.02 cents of land, each in survey No.36/3 of Hanumepally Village, Venkatigiri Kota Mandal in Chittoor District. Other journalists were also assigned pattas. However, subsequently, the Joint Collector, Chittoor, instructed the Mandal Revenue Officer to handover the front portion of the land (abutting the road) admeasuring about Acs.0.52 cents for construction of Shadikhana. Orders were also issued to keep six house site pattas in abeyance issued to the petitioners. In obedience thereto, the third respondent addressed a letter to the first respondent on 06.02.2004 informing that the house site pattas given to the petitioners are kept in abeyance and that the District Minority Welfare Officer, Chittoor, inspected the said land in survey No.36/3 admeasuring approximately Acs.0.52 cents and took possession of the same. Feeling aggrieved by this letter, though the same was not communicated to them, the petitioners filed the present writ petition seeking invalidation of the same. The Mandal Revenue Officer has filed a counter-affidavit accompanying W.V.M.P.No.1499 of 2005. As the controversy is in a narrow compass, the matter was heard at the interlocutory stage itself. It is the case of the Mandal Revenue Officer that the petitioners were granted house site pattas on 19.01.2004. In the meanwhile, one Iqbal filed a representation before the District Collector for allotment of land in survey No.36/3. In response thereto, a report was submitted to the District Collector on the availability of the land at Hanumepalli suggesting to keep the land on the rear side admeasuring Acs.0.12 cents for house site pattas for journalists, which are already granted, and to handover front portion admeasuring Acs.0.47 cents by leaving the same to the District Minority Welfare Officer, Chittoor. It is further stated that an extent of Acs.0.12 cents has already been assigned to other journalists and that the assignment made to them is not yet cancelled. After hearing the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue (Assignment), in view of the admitted position that the assignment made in favour of the petitioners has not yet been cancelled, the possibility of assigning other land for house sites may be considered duly cancelling the present assignment after following the due process of law. The Writ Petition is accordingly disposed of. No costs. ____________ (V.V.S.RAO, J) 17.08.2006 GJ