Harish seeks judicial probe into 22-A issue, welcomes SIT probe into KCR family lands
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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has formed a high-level committee to resolve the Section 22A land registration controversy within 30 days. Simultaneously, he has launched an inquiry into alleged land ceiling violations by former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his family, prompting calls for a judicial probe from the BRS.
Telangana's Land Reform Crisis: Navigating Section 22A and Political Accountability
The Section 22A Controversy
The Telangana government has initiated a significant policy intervention to address the long-standing grievances surrounding Section 22A of the Registration Act. This provision, which allows for the prohibition of land registrations, has become a point of intense contention due to the inclusion of vast stretches of private land. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has identified the historical failure of successive administrations to properly handle land subdivisions as a root cause of this systemic error, which resulted in many genuine landowners being unfairly restricted from exercising their property rights.
High-Level Committee and Remedial Measures
To mitigate these issues, the Chief Minister has constituted a high-level committee composed of the Law Secretary, the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA), and the Commissioner of Registration and Stamps. This body has been tasked with a rigorous 30-day mandate to evaluate the 'Part-B' land categorization and propose structural reforms. The objective is to cleanse the prohibited list of errors, ensuring that legitimate private owners are no longer penalized by administrative lapses.
Allegations of Land Ceiling Violations
Parallel to the administrative reform, the political climate in Telangana has intensified following allegations leveled by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy against former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and his family. The CM claims that KCR and his kin amassed significant landholdings—totaling over 439 acres—spanning from the period of the statehood agitation to their tenure in power. Specifically, the CM highlighted that KCR’s farmhouse in Erravelli allegedly contains 388 acres of assigned land, raising questions about potential violations of the Agricultural Land Ceiling Act, which limits individuals to 25 acres of wet land or 50 acres of dry land.
Opposition Demands and Political Fallout
In response to these developments, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has pushed back, with Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao demanding a judicial inquiry led by a sitting Supreme Court judge. The BRS has specifically requested a White Paper detailing all additions and removals from the Section 22A list since December 2023. Harish Rao argues that the government’s admission of the list's expansion warrants greater transparency and independent oversight, rather than solely executive-led investigations.
Historical Context and Future Implications
Land governance in Telangana has historically been a sensitive intersection of agrarian rights, political power, and bureaucratic efficiency. The Bhu Bharati project and various registration reforms have previously aimed to digitize and secure land records; however, the current conflict highlights the persistent friction between administrative control and private ownership. The outcome of the 30-day committee report and the proposed fact-finding team will likely set a precedent for how land disputes are arbitrated in the state moving forward.
Conclusion
The dual-track approach of the current administration—addressing systemic administrative errors in the Registration Act while pursuing accountability for alleged historical land accumulation—marks a pivotal moment in Telangana politics. As the 30-day deadline approaches, the tension between the ruling Congress government and the BRS opposition suggests that land policy will remain a central pillar of legislative debate and public scrutiny for the foreseeable future.
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