( 1 ) THE writ Appeal directed against writ petition No: 2766/77 and writ petition 1000/78 raise one common question of law, viz. , Whether the suo motu revisional powers vested in the Director of Settlements under section 5 (2) of the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Estates (Abolition and conversion into Ryotwari) Act, hereinafter referred to as Estates Abolition act, could be exercised even after a lapse of twelve to thirteen years or have to be exercised within a reasonable time.

( 2 ) IN the writ Appeal, a further question arises as to whether the suo motu revisional powers could be exercised notwithstanding the dismissal of a revision petition filed earlier as time-barred.

( 3 ) THE appellants in the writ Appeal are the writ petitioners. It it their case that they were granted Ryotwari patta by the Settlement Officer, visakhapatnam under section 11 of the Estates Abolition Act in the year 1960 in respect of certain lands in Marripalem village in the estate of talagam. Long after the patta was granted, the District Collector, srikakulam filed a revision petition before the Director of Settlements in the year 1971. That revision petition was filed along with ft pe