Andhra Pradesh high court orders status quo for four weeks on Hayagreeva land issue

Vijayawada: The high court directed the state govt and the petitioners, who challenged the cancellation of sale deeds pertaining to lands allotted to Hayagreeva Farms and Developers, to maintain status quo for four weeks. The court also asked the govt to file a counter affidavit in the petitions filed challenging the govt's orders.Advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas told the high court that due process was followed while cancelling the sale deeds. He said the company violated the terms, and after confirmation of such violations, the govt issued a memo to the district collector to take necessary action as per law. The petitioners did not challenge the memo, he said, and requested not to give any interim orders as the land was already taken over by the govt.Arguing on behalf of Hayagreeva Farms, senior counsel B Adinarayana Rao said the district collector does not have the authority to cancel the sale deeds and only the govt should take that decision. A division bench of the high court earlier directed the govt to make a decision with regard to the lands in question, and the proceedings issued by the collector are in violation of those orders, he said. Arguing on behalf of a plot owner who purchased it from Hayagreeva, advocate Javvaji Sharath Chandra said the collector did not issue notice to the petitioner and his rights were affected as he purchased the land through legitimate transaction.Considering the arguments, Justice TCD Sekhar directed to maintain status quo and asked the govt to file a counter affidavit within four weeks.