APHC010560732025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3330] TUESDAY, THE TWENTY EIGHTH DAY OF OCTOBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 29256/2025 Between: 1. K G SUBRAHMANYAM REDDY, S/O GOPAL REDDY, AGED ABOUT 61 YEARS, OCC FARMER, R/O. D.NO.2- 48,VENDANTHAPURAM VILLAGE, TIRUPATHI RURAL, TIRUPATHI DISTRICT ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF AP, REP., BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, REVENUE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, AMARAVATHI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, TIRUPATHI DISTRICT, ERSTWHILE CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 3. THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, TIRUPATHI, TIRUPATHI DISTRICT, ERSTWHILE CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 4. THE TAHSILDAR, TIRUPATHI RURALMANDAL, TIRUPATHI REVENUE DIVISION TIRUPATHI DISTRICT, ERSTWHILE CHITTOOR DISTRICT. 5. THE VILLAGE REVENUE OFFICER, TIRUPATI RURALMANDAL, TIRUPATI DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue a Writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 5 respondent in threatening to evict the petitioner from the subject agricultural land without following due process of law as illegal, arbitrary, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents not to disturb the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the petitioner over the agricultural land admeasuring Acres.0.15 Cents in Survey No.220/4 and Acres. 0.10 Cents in Survey No.224 situated at Vendanthapuram Village, Tirupathi Rural, Tirupathi District and further direct the 5th respondent that in case any action is proposed to be taken against the petitioner in respect of the subject land, due process of law must be followed under the A.R Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977, including issuance of proper show cause notice and providing adequate opportunity of hearing before taking any adverse action and 2 further direct the respondents No.2 to 4 to consider the petitioners representations dated 17-07-2025, 20-08-2025 and take appropriate action against the illegal conduct of the 5th respondent in the interest of justice and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased pleased to direct the respondents not to disturb the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the petitioner over the agricultural land admeasuring Acres.0.15 Cents in Surrey No.220/4 and Acres. 0.10 Cents in Survey No.224 situated at Vendanthapuram Village, Tirupathi Rural, TirupathiDistrict and further direct the 5th respondent that in case any action is proposed to be taken against the petitioner in respect of the subject land, due process of law must be followed under the A.P. Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977, including issuance of proper show cause notice and providing adequate opportunity of hearing before taking any adverse action and further direct the respondents No.2 to 4 to consider the petitioner's representations dated 17-07- 2025, 20-08- 2025and take appropriate action against the illegal conduct of the 5th respondent: in the interest of justice and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. HARISH KUMAR.T Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR REVENUE 3 THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO WRIT PETITION No.29256 of 2025 ORDER:- The present Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief: “…to issue a Writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 5th respondent in threatening to evict the petitioner from the subject agricultural land without following due process of law as illegal, arbitrary, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents not to disturb the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the petitioner over the agricultural land admeasuring Acres.0.15 Cents in Survey No.220/4 and Acres.0.10 Cents in Survey No.224 situated at Vendanthapuram Village, Tirupathi Rural, Tirupathi District and further direct the 5th respondent that in case any action is proposed to be taken against the petitioner in respect of the subject land, due process of law must be followed under the A.P.Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfer) Act, 1977, including issuance of proper show cause notice and providing adequate opportunity of hearing before taking any adverse action and further direct the respondents No.2 to 4 to consider the petitioner’s representations dated 17-07-2025, 20-08-2025 and take appropriate action against the illegal conduct of the 5th respondent in the interest of justice and pass such other order.…” 2. It is the pleading of the petitioner that a person in settled possession of immoveable property is entitled to continue in such possession, without being dispossessed save and except in accordance with law. 3. On perusal of the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition that it clearly indicate that the petitioner was granted a D.K.T. Patta. 4 4. In Rame Gowda v. M.Varadappa Naidu,1 a three-Judge Bench of the Hon’ble Apex Court, while discussing the Indian law on the subject, observed as under: “..It is thus clear that so far as the Indian law is concerned, the person in peaceful possession is entitled to retain his possession and in order to protect such possession he may even use reasonable force to keep out a trespasser. A rightful owner who has been wrongfully dispossessed of land may retake possession if he can do so peacefully and without the use of unreasonable force. If the trespasser is in settled possession of the property belonging to the rightful owner, the rightful owner shall have to take recourse to law.” 5. In the case of Ram Ratan and others Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh2, question cropped up before Hon’ble Supreme Court, with regard to right of private defence of trespasser against true owner. Their Lordships held that true owner has no right to dispossess the trespasser by use of force, in case trespasser was in possession in full knowledge of the true owner. Observation made by Hon'ble the Supreme Court is reproduced as under:- “In State of W.B. and others Vs Vishnunarayan and Associates (P) Ltd. and another, reported in (2002) 4 SCC 134, held that State and its executive officers cannot interfere with the rights of others except where their actions are authorized by specific provisions of law.” 6. In, H.B.Yogalaya Vs. State of U.P. and others3, the Hon’ble Apex Court held that without any show cause notice or hearing, neither demolition can take place nor a person may be dispossessed from the property, relevant portion is extracted hereunder: 1 (2004)1 SCC 769 2 (1977) 1 SCC 188 3 (2004) 13 SCC 518 5 "Otherwise also principles of natural justice demand that a show- cause notice and hearing be given before demolishing or dispossessing a person from the properties of which he is in possession. Counsel appearing for the respondents did not contest this proposition." "It is well settled that the law requires that the true owner should dispossess the trespasser by taking recourse to the remedies under, the law." 7. In the celebrated case of Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India4, the Hon'ble Supreme Court upheld the phrase no one shall be deprived of one’s life and liberty except procedure established by law as employed in Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The principles of natural justice demands that the persons who are affected should be heard. 8. Therefore, this Court is of the opinion that the petitioner should not be dispossessed except in accordance with the law, as held in Rame Gowda’s case (supra-1). 9. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of, directing the respondents not to interfere with the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the petitioner’s subject property, except by following due process of law. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed. ___________________________________ JUSTICE TARLADA RAJASEKHAR RAO Date: 27.10.2025 KBN 4 AIR 1978 SC 25