IMPORTANT POINT
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the rejection of land regularization can be based on public interest, and the status of the land as surplus land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act is a relevant factor.

JUDGMENT

1. It is claimed that the petitioners along with their father had jointly purchased agricultural land admeasuring Ac.4.00 guntas covered by Sy.No.62 (part), situated at Madhapur Village and Grampanchayat, Serilingampally Revenue Mandal and Municipality, Ranga Reddy District, under a registered sale deed bearing document No.12314/1990, dtd. 13/8/1990 from one Sri Mekala Vittalaiah, S/o Sri Ramulu and four others through their registered General Power of Attorney holder and they have been in absolute possession and enjoyment of the property.

2. It is stated that after purchasing the said property the petitioners herein divided their land into house plots and sold in favour of third parties and the petitioners herein retained an extent of 1860 square yards out of Ac.4.00 guntas for their personal use. The original owners i.e. Mekala Vittalaiah and four others filed declarations before the Urban Land Ceiling Authority in File No.F1/4143/6(1)2004 and were declared as surplus land holders for an extent of 73, 462.38 square meters of land (including the subject land) in Sy.Nos.31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 62, situated at Madhapur Village and Gram Panchayat, Serilingampally Mandal and Municipality, Ranga Reddy District and the ULC authorities have taken paper possession of the surplus land under Sec. 10(6) of the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 (for short 'the Act').

3. It is stated that the erstwhile Government of Andhra Pradesh issued G.O.Ms.Nos.455 and 456 Revenue (UC-I) Department dtd. 29/7/2002 inviting applications from the general public who were in possession of the surplus land to seek regularization of the subject land. Pursuant thereto, the 21 plot holders have filed applications before the Special Deputy Commissioner, Circle-11, Ranga Reddy zone. The said plots were regularized by issuing G.O.Ms.No.446 Revenue (UC-III) Department dtd. 9/4/2007. The ULC Act was repealed in State of Andhra Pradesh with effect from 27/3/2008.

4. It is stated that the Government of Andhra Pradesh, taking into consideration the public interest, issued G.O.Ms.No.747 Revenue (UC-I) Department dtd. 18/6/2008 calling for applications from the general public whoever have not availed the exemption given in G.O.Ms.No.455 and 456 dtd. 29/7/2002. In pursuance thereof, the petitioners filed an application on 24/12/2013 seeking regularization of the plot for an extent of 1860 square yards out of Ac.4.00 guntas which they have purchased under a registered sale deed bearing document No.12314/1990 dtd. 13/8/1990. The petitioners paid an amount of Rs.20, 00, 000.00 through Demand Draft bearing No.003512 dtd. 24/12/2013.

5. It is stated that the respondent No.2 issued a memo dtd. 12/2/2014 in File No.F1/747/26266/2013 in CC No.F1/4143/2004 directing the petitioners to submit registered documents along with link documents duly attested by the Gazetted officer and also directed them to deposit a demand draft for the deficit amount of Rs.43, 77, 889.00. The respondent No.2 issued a memo dtd. 3/10/2020 rejecting the application of the petitioners filed under G.O.Ms.No.747 dtd. 18/6/2008 seeking regularization of their plot and directed them to submit Bank pass book and Aadhar card for verification and to process the refund of regularization amount. It is stated that before rejecting the application filed by the petitioners through memo dtd. 3/10/2020, the respondent No.2 addressed a letter dtd. 21/6/2018 to the Commissioner, GHMC, Hyderabad, Telangana requesting to verify the record as to whether there is any valid layout in respect of Plot No.4/A in Sy.No.62 of Madhapur Village consisting of park for taking further necessary action and to dispose of the application filed by the petitioners herein.

6. It is contended that the respondent No.2 without waiting for the report from the Commissioner, GHMC, whether there is any valid layout in respect of Sy.No.62 of Madhapur Village and Gram Panchayat arbitrarily issued the memo dtd. 3/10/2020. The pe