Hyderabad: Legal glitches likely to delay new Revenue Act

Hyderabad: The proposed new Revenue Act is unlikely to be introduced in the ensuing Budget Session as the Telangana government is yet to finalise amendments in many contentious issues in the existing Revenue law which requires legal clearance before its adoption.

Top officials of the government told The Hans India that Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, who holds the Full Additional Charge (FAC) of the Revenue department and Special Advisor to the government were in the process of preparation of the new Act in consultation with the legal experts, including professors from the NALSAR University.

The officials said the Survey & Boundaries Act, 1923, Telangana Area Land Revenue Act 1317 F, AP Schedule Areas Ryothwari Settlement, AP Mahals and Jagir Abolition Act, 1948, which have been adopted by the Telangana government after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh needs a relook before finalising the new Revenue Act.

The government wants to be sure that it will not invite legal complications after they were amended or abolished. About 130 Acts are legally binding on the government. Hence it does not want to introduce the new Revenue Act in a hurry.

Sources said the government had experienced a big embarrassment when then Governor ESL Narasimhan had returned the new Municipal Act which was passed in the Assembly questioning the transfer of powers to the state government from the State Election Commission last year.

The government is also planning to revamp the CCLA (Chief Commissioner of Land Administration), the head of the entire Revenue department under the new Revenue Act.

The CCLA is monitoring and guide District Collectors and advises the government in all the policy matters pertaining to the land administration.

After Raymond Peter retired as the CCLA in August 2016, the key wing in the Revenue department has been functioning without a head.

Officials said that the government is analyzing the quasi-judicial authorities given to the CCLA official in resolving the land disputes and the introduction of the revenue tribunals in every district under the new Act.