Irregularities rampant at SROs in Srikakulam dist

Srikakulam: Irregularities are rampant at stamps and registrations (S&R) department’s sub-registrar offices (SRO).

In Srikakulam district, total 13 sub-registrar offices(SRO) are located at Ranastalam, Srikakulam, Ponduru, Amadalavalasa, Narasannapeta, Kotabommali, Tekkali, Palasa, Hiramandalam, Pathapatnam, Mandasa, Sompeta and Itchapuram.

During the previous YSRCP regime, corrupt practices went unchecked at these offices. Even under the current NDA rule, irregularities are being reported at these SROs.

Stamp vendors and document writers who are extending services to the customers of the department seem to be contributing the “unchecked” graft practices.

This prevailing system is very useful to the officers and staff of the department as they are allegedly collecting additional amounts as bribe from the customers through stamp vendors and document writers. These irregularities are happening even after the government has announced that the customers can approach the SROs directly for different services and registration of documents.

But even government officials, retired employees and educated customers are depending on these stamp vendors and document writers to finish their works hassle-free. Recently, a person settled the issue of providing ancestral property to his sons through gift deed without giving share to his daughter and registered the same at Amadalavalasa SRO.

On coming to know it, his daughter lodged a complaint with the village elders. The person has no right to register a gift deed to his sons by denying his daughter’s share and also no right to register the deed as it is ancestral property. At Sompeta SRO, assigned lands also registered by showing survey numbers of the zeroythi lands by some of the real estate venture owners. It has come to light after an inquiry was initiated by the revenue officials based on the complaints.

In Srikakulam SRO, a sale deed was registered by a person based on the old general power of attorney (GPA). By the time of registration of sale deed, old GPA was cancelled by its owner but by suppressing it a document writer, sub-registrar and person who sold the property allegedly colluded in this transaction.

Allegations are mushrooming against officials and staff at Narasannapeta SRO where stamps are sold at higher prices than the fixed price by the vendors.