HC order status quo on CMC bldg construction

Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Tuesday ordered status quo on five acres of land at Khanamet, Serilingampally, allotted for the construction of the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) building.The interim order came while hearing petitions challenging the state’s move to acquire the land. Justice B Vijaysen Reddy passed the directions after petitioners claimed ownership of the land through valid sale deeds and long possession. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stone for the building on June 7.The judge said in his interim order: “Status quo will be maintained till the state govt files its counter affidavit.” The matter was adjourned to July 7 for further hearing.Petitioners alleged that on May 30, the Serilingampally tahsildar issued notices to resume the land, claiming it was assigned land under govt ownership.Senior Counsel Desai Prakash Reddy, appearing for one petitioner, argued that his client purchased 2.06 acres recorded as ‘patta land’ in revenue records and has been in possession since 1997.He pointed out that a previous land grabbing case filed by the revenue department was dismissed by the high court, which ruled in the petitioner’s favour. “This substantiates that the petitioner is not a land grabber,” he said.Advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy appeared for the state and sought dismissal of the petitions.