1. The following writ petitions are filed for setting aside deeds of cancellation of sale deeds and the gift settlement deeds unilaterally by the executants.

2. The factual aspects of the matter involved in the Writ Petitions are not necessary for the disposal of these Writ Petitions and hence they are not considered.

3. The consideration of the writ petitions involved the following points:

1. Whether there can be cancellation of a registered document unilaterally by the executant and registration of the same by the Registering Authorities and whether the same is valid under law ?

2. Whether a Writ Petition is maintainable for setting aside such deeds of Cancellation ?

4. There is no dispute of facts in the present cases since all the deeds were executed unilaterally by the executants and those documents were registered by the Registering Authorities. The documents fall under two categories of cases; one category of cases relates to the period prior to amendment of Rule 26(k) of the Registration Rules with effect from 02.06.2014, whereas the second category relates to the registration of documents by the Registering Authorities in violation of the said Rules after amendment.

5. The erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh framed Rules called 'the Andhra Pradesh Rules under the Registration Act, 1908' under Section 69 of the Registration Act, 1908. The unamended Rule 26 reads as follows.

26. (i) Every document shall, before acceptance or registration examined by the Registering Officer to ensure that all the requirements prescribed in the Act and in these rules have been complied with, for instance :

(a) that it has been presented in the proper office (Sections 28, 29 and 30);

(b) that the person is entitled to present it (Sections 32 and 40)

(c) that if it is a non-testamentary document and relates to immovable property, it contains a description of property sufficient to identify the same and fulfils the requirements of Rules 18 to 20:

(d) that if it is written in a language not commonly used in the District and not understood by the Registering Officer it is accompanied by a true translation into a language commonly used in the District and also by true copy (Section 19);

(e) that if it contains a map or plan, it is accompanied by true copies of such map or plan as required by Section 21(4);

(f) that it contains no unattested interlineations, blanks, erasures or alterations, which in his opinion require to be attested as required by Section 20(1);

(g) that if the document is one other than a will it has been presented within the time prescribed by Sections 23 to 26;

(h) that it bears the date of its execution and does not bear a date anterior to the date of purchase of stamp papers and the document is written on a date subsequent to the date of presentation.

(i) that if the date is written in any document other a will presented for registration after the death of the testator according to both the British and the Indian calendars, these dates tally; and

(j) that if the presentant is not personally known to the Registering Officer, he is accompanied by such identifying witness with whose testimony the Registering Officer may be satisfied;

6. Provided that the registering officer shall dispense with the execution of cancellation deeds by executant and claimant parties to the previously registered deeds of conveyances on sale before him if