THE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition No.24724 of 2008 ORDER: The petitioners are said to be cultivating an extent of 30 acres of land in Sy.Nos.218, 224 and 225 of Burugadda Village, Huzurnagar Mandal, Nalgonda District, owned by Sri Adivaraha Lakshmi Narasimha Venugopala Swamy Temple, of that village. According to them, the lands were held as inam, by their ancestors. They complain that the Authorities of the Temple, and the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments, are threatening to dispossess them, without any basis. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners have acquired valuable rights, on account of their continued possession, for the past three decades, and the respondents are not entitled to dispossess them, without initiating any proceedings under the Act 30 of 1987 (for short ‘the Act’). Learned Government Pleader for Endowments, and learned Standing Counsel for the Devasthanam, on the other hand, submit that, by operation of Section 82 of the Act, all the leases in favour of the petitioners stood terminated, and they have no right to continue in possession. It is stated that the eﬀorts of the respondents are only to put the leasehold rights over the lands, to auction. The petitioners do not claim any ownership rights over the land. On the other hand, they admit the ownership of the Devasthanam. The manner in which the leases were granted in favour of the petitioners, or the conditions of lease; are not furnished in this writ petition. Irrespective of the nature and tenure of lease, in respect of the lands held by Hindu Religious Institutions, they stand terminated by operation of Section 82 of the Act. There was undue delay, on the part of the respondents, in taking immediate steps to resume the land, or put it to auction, afresh. At least, at a belated stage, they have woken up. It must, however, be made clear that, in case the Devasthanam intends to put the leasehold rights to auction, no further proceedings are necessary against the petitioners. On the other hand, if the eﬀort is only to evict the petitioners, proceedings under Section 83 of the Act are to be initiated. For the foregoing reasons, the writ petition is disposed of, directing that the 5th respondent- Devasthanam, and the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments, shall take immediate steps to put the leasehold rights of the lands of 30 acres, in Sy.No.218, 224 and 225; to auction. The petitioners shall be entitled to participate in the auction, and fresh leases shall be granted in favour of the highest bidder, duly following the relevant conditions. There shall be no order as to costs. ________________________ Dt.13-11-2008. L. NARASIMHA REDDY, J. KO