The petitioner challenges the orders passed by the first respondent in G.O.Ms.No.54 Social Welfare (LTR.1) Department, dated 24.05.2001. The facts, that gave rise to the filing of the writ petition, are as under:

The petitioner is a resident of Dharbagudem Village of Jeelugumilli Mandal, West Godavari District, which is in scheduled area. The petitioner claims to have purchased an extent of Acs.10.00 of land in survey No.300 of that village from a non-tribal, by name Konakala Laxmikanthamma, under an agreement of sale, dated 15.11.1968.

Possession of the land is said to have been delivered to him and that about four years later, a sale deed was executed on 18.10.1972. The Special Deputy Tahsildar (Tribal Welfare-I) Eluru, submitted a complaint before the Special Deputy Collector (Tribal Welfare) K.R.Puram, West Godavari District, the fourth respondent herein, stating that the transaction in favour of the petitioner is contrary to the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulations, 1959, as amended by Regulation 1 of 1970 (for short ‘the Regulations’). The complaint was taken up as S.R.No.419 of 1979 by the fourth respondent. The petitioner, his