APHC010574082025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3208] FRIDAY,THE TWENTY EIGHTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION NO: 29863/2025 Between: 1. YARLAGADDA KRISHNA,, S/O. Y. RAJA BAPAN, AGED 59, R/O.F.NO. 601, C BLOCK, FORTUNE PRIME MADHAPUR, TELANGANA. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATI. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, NTR DISTRICT (KRISHNA DISTRICT). 3. THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, OFFICE OF THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, VIJAYAWADA DIVISION, NTR DISTRICT (KRISHNA DISTRICT). 4. THE TAHSILDAR, OFFICE OF THE TAHSILDAR, KANCHIKACHERLA MANDAL, NTR DISTRICT (KRISHNA DISTRICT). ...RESPONDENT(S): The Court made the following: 1. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Revenue appearing for the respondents. 2. The writ petition is filed aggrieved by the inaction of the 3rd respondent– Revenue Divisional Officer, in failing to issue the Land Conversion Certificate in respect of the petitioner’s agricultural land situated in Sy. No. 278/3 of Kanchikacherla Village, NTR District (formerly Krishna District), to an extent of Ac.0.95 cents, despite the petitioner having paid the requisite conversion tax. The said inaction is arbitrary, illegal, and contrary to the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purposes) Act, 2006 and the Rules made thereunder. 3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the absolute owner and possessor of land admeasuring Ac. 0.95 cents in Sy. No. 278/3 of Kanchikacherla Village, having purchased the same from his vendor by way of a registered sale deed dated 24.04.2003 on the file of the Sub- Registrar, Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam. Consequent to the purchase, the petitioner’s name was duly mutated in the revenue records, and Pattadar Passbooks and Title Deeds were issued in his favour. He further submits that the petitioner submitted an application for conversion of the subject land from agricultural to non-agricultural purpose through Mee-Seva vide application No. ADL042019178X dated 09.04.2014, in accordance with the provisions of Act 3 of 2006. The petitioner paid the requisite conversion fee under Challan No. 680 dated 23.05.2014 (Transaction ID: T1431659565), and the Sub-Registrar, Kanchikacherla acknowledged the payment vide C. No. 177/2014. Thereafter, the petitioner submitted a representation to the 4th respondent-Tahsildar, enclosing the challan and all relevant documents. Pursuant thereto, the 4th respondent-Tahsildar, along with the 5th respondent-VRO, 6th respondent- Revenue Inspector, and 7th respondent-Mandal Surveyor, conducted a physical inspection of the subject land and issued a no-objection for conversion vide proceedings Rc. B.373/2014 dated 03.06.2014. It is further submitted that, despite several representations and applications made by the petitioner requesting issuance of the Land Conversion Certificate, no such certificate has been furnished. It is contended that the inaction of the respondents, particularly the 3rd respondent, in not issuing the Land Conversion Certificate, even though the petitioner has complied with all statutory requirements, is unsustainable. Hence, the writ petition. 4. On instructions, the learned Government Pleader for the respondents furnished written instructions dated 27.11.2025 issued by the Revenue Divisional Officer, wherein it is stated that a thorough search was conducted, and the relevant file was traced. However, only the note file and the Tahsildar’s report are available. The note file shows that a letter was earlier addressed to the then Tahsildar, Kanchikacherla, directing him to submit link documents up to date along with EC, 1B register, and Adangals for verifying the petitioner’s title. No report has been received from the Tahsildar, as per available records. Meanwhile, the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued Ordinance No.5 of 2025 dated 03.09.2025, repealing the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purposes) Act, 2006, and no orders can be passed after two years from commencement of the Ordinance. It is further stated that the concerned village and Mandal now fall under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Nandigama Division after district bifurcation. Earlier records were transferred, and missing files will be traced and sent to the Revenue Divisional Officer, Nandigama, upon request. A letter was also addressed to the RDO, Nandigama, to depute an authorized person to collect any missing files. The petitioner’s application was filed in 2014, but the file has remained pending due to the non-receipt of the required report from the Tahsildar, Kanchikacherla. After a lapse of 12 years, the matter has resurfaced, and during this entire period, the petitioner did not approach the office or pursue the application, nor was any report submitted by the Tahsildar. It is further noted that the concerned village now falls under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Nandigama, who is the competent authority. Additionally, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has recently issued a repeal Act governing the processing of land conversion files. 5. Considering the above, the writ petition is disposed of, granting liberty to the petitioner to submit a fresh representation to the 3rd respondent/Revenue Divisional Officer seeking issuance of the Land Conversion Certificate in respect of the petitioner’s agricultural land, within a period of two (02) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Upon such submission, the 3rd respondent/Revenue Divisional officer shall consider the same and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law within a period of two (02) months thereafter. No order as to costs. Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions, if any, pending in the writ petition shall stand closed. ________________________ JUSTICE D. RAMESH 28.11.2025 klk 511 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE D RAMESH WRIT PETITION No.29863 of 2025 28.11.2025 kkllkk