HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.9 of 2010 Date: 08.02.2010 Between : Annapureddy Hanimireddy @ Guru Hanimireddy. …….Petitioner And The Government of Andhra Prades, rep. by its Secretary, Tribal Welfare Department & others. …..Respondents. HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE R. SUBHASH REDDY WRIT PETITION No.9 of 2010 ORDER : Heard learned counsel for petitioner and the learned Government Pleader appearing for respondents 1 to 4. There is no appearance on behalf of respondents 5 to 7, though they are served and proof of service is filed by the counsel for petitioner. 2. The petitioner claims to be the owner and possessor of the land admeasuring Ac.4-19 gts., covered by Survey No.260, situated at Morampally Banjar village in Burgampad Mandal of Khammam District. It is his case that he purchased the said land from the father of respondents 6 and 7, on 10.04.1957, by way of an un-registered sale deed, and since then, he is in continuous possession, and also got registered the sale deed on 12.07.1974. 3. On the ground that the possession of petitioner over the land in question is in contravention of the A.P. (Scheduled Areas) Land Transfer Regulations 1 of 1959 as amended by Regulations 1 of 1970, respondents have initiated proceedings for his eviction, and the 3rd respondent-Special Deputy Collector, Tribal Welfare, Bhadrachalam, has ordered for eviction of petitioner from the land in question. As against the same, the petitioner carried the matter by way of appeal in C.M.A.No.8 of 2000 before the Agent to Government, who rejected the said appeal by his order, dated 31st of December 2009, against which, the petitioner has filed a revision petition before the 1st respondent-Government, on 2nd of January 2010. On the ground that no orders are being passed by the revisional authority either on the revision or on the stay petition, and on the other hand, respondents are taking steps for eviction of petitioner, this writ petition is filed. 4. It is the case of the petitioner that the A.P. (Scheduled Areas) Land Transfer Regulations 1 of 1959 as amended by Regulations 1 of 1970, are prospective in operation, and as much as he purchased the land in question in the year 1957 prior to such Regulations came into force, prohibiting transfer of land from Tribals, his possession is not illegal. Though the petitioner has raised such plea in the revision filed by him, but in view of pendency of such revision before the 1st respondent-Government, it is not desirable to record any finding on merit on the said aspect. However, as much as it is stated that the petitioner has been in continuous possession of land since the date of his purchase in the year 1957, and he is not yet evicted pursuant to the orders of the 3rd respondent-Special Deputy Collector (Tribal Welfare), as confirmed by the District Collector, and in view of pendency of revision before the 1st respondent-Government, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the writ petition, directing the 1st respondent-revisional authority, to dispose of the revision filed by the petitioner, as expeditiously as possible. I further direct respondents 1 to 4 to maintain status quo as on today, with regard to possession over petitioner’s land, covered by Survey No.260, admeasuring Ac.4-19 gts., till the disposal of revision petition. 5. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. ______________________ R. SUBHASH REDDY, J 8th February 2010 ajr