BRS Protests: Demand Telangana Minister's Resignation Over Section 22A Land List
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has demanded the resignation of Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, holding him morally responsible for the inclusion of thousands of private lands in the prohibited list under Section 22A of the Registration Act. The party claims the move has created widespread confusion and anxiety among landowners in the state.
Speaking at a protest in Malkajigiri on Tuesday, BRS Deputy Floor Leader in the Assembly T. Harish Rao demanded the immediate cancellation of the list and the delisting of all affected properties. The protest was organised by Malkajgiri MLA Marri Rajashekhar Reddy, with legislators Kaleru Venkatesh Yadav and other party leaders participating.
Mr. Harish Rao questioned why the government had invoked Section 22A even after the Urban Land Ceiling Act was scrapped in 2008. He alleged that lakhs of private properties in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal districts alone had been included in the prohibited list through thousands of Government Orders (G.O.s).
He said land covered by exemptions under various G.O.s, including around 7,500 properties in Rangareddy and over 6,000 in Medchal, along with HMDA and HUDA lands, were also placed on the list. The overnight inclusion, he said, had pushed lakhs of poor and middle-class families who had purchased flats and plots into distress.
In a serious accusation, Mr. Harish Rao alleged that leaders of the ruling party were demanding 30% of the land value as commission, in addition to land development rights, to get properties de-listed from the prohibited category. He demanded to know who had instructed the inclusion of these lands, and warned that making officials scapegoats would not be acceptable to the people.
The BRS, which is the principal opposition party in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, has been pressing the government to resolve the issue. Section 22A of the Registration Act allows authorities to prohibit registration of certain properties, often to prevent fraud or unauthorised transactions. However, the BRS argues that legitimate holdings have been wrongly included, causing hardship to ordinary citizens.
The state government has not yet issued an official response to the allegations. The issue is likely to be raised in the upcoming Assembly session as the opposition intensifies its pressure on the ruling party over land administration in Telangana.
