A. SEETARAM REDDY, J.

( 1 ) THE petitioners, 300 in number, claiming to be the landless poor were enjoying the land in question since long. It is admittedly an Inam land and under the A. P. Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1956, an application was made and the Tahsildar eventually in exercise of his powers under Section 7 (1) of the A. P. (A. A.) Inams (Abolition and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1956, granted patta in favour of the petitioners. While so, the Revenue Divisional Officer, who is the appellate authority admittedly under the Act, purported to exercise suo motu powers and stayed the orders of the Tahsildar. Hence, this writ petition.

( 2 ) WELL, the question that has been debated is whether he has any suo motu powers under the Act in exercising his powers as he has done in this case. Suo motu powers under the Act is only traceable to the commissioner, Land Revenue under Section 14 (A) of the Act which reads as follows: 14-A (1 ). Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the board of Revenue may, at any time either suo motu or on application made to it, call for and examine the records relating to any proceedings taken by the Tahsildar, the Reve

Click Here to Read the rest of this document