Soon after coming to power in June 2024, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that his government would not allow any registration of lands prohibited under 22-A of the revenue act and that he had ordered a probe into the registration of such freehold lands during the YSR Congress party government.
But all his tall claims on these 22-A lands proved to be a big farce, as the TDP leaders are following the footsteps of their YSRCP counterparts in grabbing such lands prohibited from registration, by getting them freed from 22-A of the act.
One such major land scandal has come to light in Visakhapatnam district, where a senior state-level official allegedly devised strategies to transfer valuable government lands to private individuals, apparently belonging to the ruling TDP.
According to reports, this official not only gave approvals for the transfer but was also reportedly involved in pushing relevant files just days before being transferred to another department.
The government lands that were previously included in 22-A list, that restricts sale or transfer of certain government-owned lands.
The official is accused of approving files that recommended removing these lands from the 22A list and handing them over to private parties.
After the official's transfer, the government began an internal review, which led to these irregularities being exposed.
District authorities in Visakhapatnam raised objections to the orders and submitted a report to the government.
The lands in question cover approximately 65 to 70 acres across 12 survey numbers in Visakhapatnam Rural, Bheemili, Anandapuram, Gajuwaka, and Pendurthi mandals.
Although previous official reports had clearly stated these were government lands, the officer in question issued orders to remove them from the 22A list.
Now, the district authorities have not yet implemented the controversial orders, citing discrepancies at the ground level.
The district collector is said to have sent a report to the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) requesting further instructions.
Meanwhile, private individuals are reportedly pressuring officials to act on the previously issued orders, even approaching some elected representatives to influence the process.
They are still pursuing these high-value properties — worth crores of rupees — using every possible channel, sources said.
