THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R.SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.26074 of 2007 ORDER: In the Writ Petition, petitioners have questioned proceedings bearing No.AA/166/2005, dated 12.11.2007 issued by the second respondent - Special Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad. On the requisition sent by the Assistant City Planner, Circle-III (GHMC) for acquisition of land for the purpose of road widening from Ramnagar junction to Vidyanagar junction, the house properties of the petitioners were notified for acquisition. On an earlier occasion, when an urgent clause was invoked for acquiring the properties of the petitioners, they approached this Court by filing Writ Petition No.17340 of 2007. This Court by order, dated 14.08.2007, allowed the said Writ Petition directing the respondents to conduct enquiry under Section 5-A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. In this Writ Petition, it is the grievance of the petitioners that though they filed objections, they were not given any opportunity of hearing. It is the case of the petitioners that the second respondent is not the competent authority for issuing the impugned proceedings. The respondents have filed counter-affidavit disputing various allegations of the petitioners. In this case, it is not in dispute that the impugned proceedings are issued by the second respondent. The learned single Judge of this Court by order, dated 29.09.2006 allowed Writ Petition No.20360 of 2006 and batch holding that the competent authority for passing the orders under Section 5-A of the Act is the District Collector but not the Land Acquisition Officer. In the present case, the Special Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad, issued the impugned proceedings and as he is not the competent authority, the impugned proceedings are liable to be quashed. For the aforesaid reasons, without going into the validity of the objections raised by the petitioners, only on the ground that the second respondent in not competent to pass orders under Section 5-A of the Act, the impugned proceedings and the consequential declaration issued under Section 6 of the Act on 21.11.2007 are hereby quashed and the Writ Petition is allowed with the following directions: The petitioners are given liberty to submit representations raising objections or additional objections within a period of four (4) weeks from today before the Land Acquisition Officer. As and when such representations are filed, the second respondent shall conduct fresh enquiry into the matter by giving them an opportunity of hearing, prepare a report and submit the same to the District Collector. However, it is open to the District Collector to take further steps in accordance with law. No order as to costs. _______________________ R.SUBHASH REDDY, J 5th SEPTEMBER, 2011. Note:issue c.c. in one week. kvni