Andhra Pradesh HC Issues Notice On PIL Against Inaction Of Authorities In Facilitating 'Anywhere Registration' Of Property In State

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued notice on a PIL alleging failure on the part of the respondent authorities–including the Commissioner and Inspector General of Registration and Stamps, Deputy Inspector General–in providing requisite information to enable facilitation of the 'Anywhere Registration' facility introduced in the State.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati issued notice and asked the respondent authorities to file their responses.

The matter is next listed on April 16.

For context, the facility of Anywhere Registration was introduced in the state by way of Government Orders 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25 dated 04.02.2015. By way of this scheme, an individual is permitted to register his property in the office of any sub-registrar, as opposed to being permitted to register his property only with the sub-registrar of competent jurisdiction.

The PIL contended that when a document was presented for registration before a sub-registrar and information was called from the jurisdictional joint sub-registrar, the information was not forthcoming until and unless the parties visited those sub offices, thereby causing delay and inconvenience. It was contended that the action of part of the respondents beat the purpose of introducing 'anywhere registration'

The petitioners further prayed that official respondents ought to issue guidelines to ensure that when information and comments were called by the registering authority at the district level, the joint sub registrars and others from whom comments were solicited, respond at the earliest, preferably, within a prescribed timeline, with a view to avoid any delay and inconvenience to the public at large.

Case title: Patnam Durgesh Babu Vs. The State of Andhra Pradesh and others

Counsel for petitioner: Advocate Nimmagadda Revathi

Counsel for respondents: Special GP S. Pranathi 

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