HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 15975 of 2007 Dated 26th July 2007 Between: Smt B.Anasurya and others. …Petitioners and Joint sub-Registrar and another. …Respondents HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 15975 of 2007 O R D E R: Petitioners claim to be the owners of land admeasuring Ac.14.00 in Survey No.14/AA of Vepakuntla Village, Khamman Urban Mandal, Khammam District. They claim to have approached the first respondent for presentation of an agreement of sale in respect of the said land, for registration, and complain that the first respondent is refusing to receive the same, allegedly on the basis of instructions received from the superior authorities. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Government Pleader for Revenue. Till recently, the scope of refusal to register a document was very limited. The A.P. State Legislature had introduced Section 22-A of the Registration Act 19 of 2007, which provided for several contingencies, under which the registering authority can refuse to register a document. In addition to that, Section 5 of the A.P. Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977 prohibits registration of documents in relation to assigned lands. However, unless the document is attracted by the said provisions, the registering authority cannot refuse registration. Whenever any such reasons or grounds are noticed, they must be communicated to the parties to the document, without any loss of time. Further, the authority cannot refuse to receive the document, because the actual consideration would arise, only after it is received and examined with reference to the relevant provisions. Mere receiving of document does not confer any right or lead to any change in relationship vis-à- vis the property. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of, directing that the first respondent shall receive the document, that may be presented by the petitioners, but shall examine the same with reference to the relevant provisions of law, including Section 22-A of the Registration Act 19 of 2007 and Section 5 of the A.P. Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977. In case, the lands are not covered by the said provisions, the document shall be admitted to registration, on being satisfied about the adequacy of stamp duty and registration charges. On the other hand, if the registration is prohibited under the said provisions, the reasons shall be communicated to the petitioners, within ten (10) from the date of presentation of the document. There shall be no order as to costs. _________ 26.07.2007 Note: Issue C.C. tomorrow. (B/o) JSU