Telangana Land Owners Await Relief Over Section 22A Prohibited Property Listings

Property owners across Telangana whose lands have been placed in the prohibited list under Section 22A of the Registration Act continue to face difficulties in verifying their property status and seeking relief, despite government measures to manage records.

While the Registration and Stamps Department has uploaded details of prohibited agricultural and non-agricultural properties on its website, landowners are struggling due to the absence of specific search options. The portal currently lacks features allowing users to check statuses directly using an owner's name, khata number, or other individual identifiers.

In addition, information related to endowment and Waqf properties across certain mandals has not yet been fully uploaded, with the department stating that prohibition data remains under review and will be published soon. Many property owners have reported learning about transaction bans on their properties only upon visiting sub-registrar offices to execute sale deeds, gifts, or mortgages.

To address rising public concerns, the state government established a toll-free helpline enabling citizens to register complaints regarding the inclusion of their properties under Section 22A. Call centres handling the helpline received several hundred calls over the past week.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy stated that the government remains committed to safeguarding the rights of genuine land owners under all circumstances. However, the minister noted that resolving disputes involving Bhoodan lands and other specific categories would require time because several cases remain under various stages of adjudication in the courts.

Under the current system on the registration website, users can view prohibited lands by navigating to the designated section and selecting their district, mandal, and village or town. The results display properties grouped under various legal classifications, including Sections 22A(1)(a), 22A(1)(b), Waqf and Endowments under 22A(1)(c), 22A(1)(d), 22A(1)(e), as well as court cases and other categories.

The government has directed aggrieved citizens to approach specific authorities based on the nature of the listing. Landowners with grievances related to Sections 22A(1)(a), (b), and (d) must approach the concerned district Collector. Those with issues involving Waqf or Endowment properties under Section 22A(1)(c) have been directed to contact the Waqf Chief Executive Officer or the Endowments Commissioner, while grievances concerning Section 22A(1)(e) must be submitted to a committee set up at the office of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration.