Jaya's writ plea on land dismissed

Hyderabad, Apr 13 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh High Court today dismissed as premature former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's writ plea questioning the validity of the notice issued by the authorities on resuming possession of her land.

In his order, Justice V V S Rao said it was too premature at this juncture and also not in the interest of fair adjudication before the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO).

Admittedly, the petitioner is in possession of disputed lands, the nature of which is required to be established in an enquiry which requires consideration of both documentary and oral evidence, the judge said.

A person who is in possession of assigned land may plead before the competent authority -- MRO-- stating the lands held by him or her are not assinged or he or she purchsed it from somebody after payment of consideration or the purchaser is also landless poor.

The judge, however, directed the Revenue authorities to provide all information and documents sought by the petitioner.

The MRO of Kudbullahpur in Ranga Reddy District had issued the notice under the provisions of the recently amended AP Assigned Land (Prohibition of Transfers) Act 1977 on Ms Jayalalithaa who owns 8.1 acre of land in Petbasheerad Village.

The notice said the land was originally assigned to three landless poor persons in 1956-58.

UNI