THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition No.801 of 2010 ORDER: This writ petition is filed with a prayer to call for the records relating to the orders dated 24.10.1995 in T.A.No.2 of 1989 passed by the Court of District Judge, Visakhaptnam. The respondents filed an application before the Settlement Officer under Section 15(1) of the A.P. Estates Abolition Act 1948 (for short ‘the Act’) with a request to grant pattas in respect of land admeasuring Ac.2.38 cents in Survey No.264 of Anandapuram Village ad Mandal, Visakhapatnam District. They pleaded that their ancestors purchased the land in the year 1920 through registered sale deed and ultimately it emerged that it was part of estate. According to them, they are entitled to be granted patta under Section 15(5) of the Act. There was enormous delay of about 37 years in submitting the application. Therefore, they filed an application under Section 5 of the Limitation Act. The Settlement Officer condoned the delay. However, through his order, dated 28.01.1989, he dismissed the application. Feeling aggrieved by the order passed by the Settlement Officer, the respondents filed an appeal being T.A.No.2 of 1989 before the Court of District Judge, Visakhapatnam. The appellate Court allowed the appeal and held that the respondents are entitled to be granted pattas. The respondents approached the various revenue authorities for implementation of the order passed by the District Court in T.A.No.2 of 20009. They have also filed W.P.No.6905 of 2009 complaining that the authorities are not acting as per the orders of the District court. The writ petition was disposed of on 16.04.2009 directing that the Tahsildar, Anandapuram shall make necessary entries in conformity with the order in T.A.No.2 of 1989 within three months from the date of the order. While examining the implication of the order, the petitioners have decided to challenge the order passed by the District Court in T.A.No.2 of 1989. Heard the learned Government Pleader for Revenue. Various grounds are urged in challenge to the impugned order. At the outset, it needs to be noticed that there is a delay of about 15 years in filing the writ petition. Though the respondents themselves approached the Settlement Officer with a delay of 3 decades, the petitioners did not choose to assail the order, through which the Settlement Officer condoned the delay. It is not as if the petitioners were not aware of the order in T.A.No.2 of 1989 for all these years. They did not feel aggrieved on any ground whatever. It is only when the respondents filed a writ petition and this Court passed an order directing that necessary steps to implement the order in favour of respondents be taken, that the present writ petition was filed. 15 years by any standard is too long to explain the laches. On merits also, the learned District Judge has undertaken extensive discussion. It is a matter of record that the ancestors of the respondents purchased the land way back in the year 1920 and remained in possession thereof. The Act itself provides for grant of pattas in favour of the persons, who are in valid possession of the land, even if it became part of estate. Therefore, the writ petition is dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. __________ 20.01.2010 JSU THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition No.801 of 2010 Date: 25.01.2010 JSU