THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA W.P.Nos.15821, 16069, 16071, 16143, 17624 and 17636 of 2008 COMMON ORDER: Petitioners in all these writ petitions are aggrieved by the proceedings dated 18.07.2008, whereby the Tahsildar, Sathupalli Mandal, Khammam District, ordered eviction of the petitioners from the government lands, which are in their occupation. They state that they have applied for regularization of the said lands in their favour, in terms of G.O.Ms.No.166 Revenue (Assignments POT) Department dated 16.02.2008, but no orders are passed on the said applications, and in the meantime the Tahsildar initiated proceedings under the Land Encroachment Act, 1905, and issued the impugned eviction proceedings. While admitting the writ petitions, this Court passed interim orders in favour of the petitioners. Thereafter, the Tahsildar, Sathupalli, filed counter-affidavits in the matters, wherein he denied the petitioners filing applications for regularization of the lands in their occupation, in terms of G.O.Ms.No.166 dated 16.02.2008. However, when the matter came up for consideration on the last occasion, the learned counsel for the petitioners produced before this Court a copy of the letter dated 19.03.2010 addressed by the Tahsildar to the Revenue Divisional Officer, Khammam, which would evidence the fact that the petitioners filed applications for regularization of the lands in their occupation. Thereupon, the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue sought time to get instructions and today he filed before this Court the additional counter-affidavit of the Tahsildar, wherein it is admitted that the petitioners filed such applications and they are pending consideration before the Revenue Divisional Officer, Khammam. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue, however, submitted that it is the District Collector, Khammam, who is competent to pass orders on the applications of the petitioners, and therefore the writ petitions may be disposed of with appropriate directions to the District Collector in that regard, for which the learned counsel for the petitioners also agreed. In view of the above, all these writ petitions are disposed of with the following directions: “The District Collector, Khammam, is directed to consider the applications filed by the petitioners, seeking regularization of the respective lands in their occupation, in their favour, in terms of G.O.Ms.No.166 dated 16.02.2008, and pass appropriate orders thereon, as expeditiously as possible. Till such time, the petitioners shall not be dispossessed from the respective lands in their occupation”. There shall be no order as to costs. __________________ JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA 25th August, 2010 IBL