THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.22420 of 2009 ORDER: The petitioners state that their ancestors have purchased two bits of land admeasuring Acs.5.89 cents and Acs.7.79 cents in various survey numbers of Palchuru Village, Pellakuru Mandal, Nellore District decades ago from the assignees of the Government land. Recently, the said land was taken over by the Government for the purpose of a Special Economic Zone. Government paid ex gratia to other assignees. The petitioners state that being the purchasers from the assignees, they are entitled to be paid ex gratia on par with others. They seek direction to the respondents to pay ex gratia. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Government Pleader for Land Acquisition. It may be true that the ancestors of the petitioners purchased the land referred to above. The petitioners are also in enjoyment of the same till it was taken over by the Government. Had it been a private land, the petitioners would certainly have been entitled to be paid the compensation. It is not in dispute that the land in question was assigned by the Government. The ex gratia is payable only if the land is taken over from the assignees. The purchase made by the ancestors of the petitioners is hit by Section 3 of the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977. Whatever may be the nature of rights that may have been acquired by the petitioners vis-à-vis the land, they cannot step into the shoes of the assignees. In fact, it would be a contradiction in terms. Hence, the writ petition is dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. _______________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY,J Dt:23.03.2011. kdl