Hundreds of private plot, house and apartment owners in Telangana are now unable to sell, mortgage or transfer their properties after a blanket inclusion under Section 22A. The ruling party insists no new land has been added since December 2023.

Key Takeaways

  • Entire survey numbers flagged under Section 22A
  • Owners barred from selling, mortgaging or transferring
  • Government claims no deliberate additions since Dec 2023

Scope of the Land Dispute

Across Telangana’s districts, owners report that when they approach a Sub‑Registrar Office (SRO) to finalize a sale or mortgage, officials refuse registration because the property appears on the Section 22A prohibited list. 40‑year‑old mason Udayagiri Prasad purchased a 66.8‑square‑yard residential plot years ago, but when he tried to sell it, the SRO denied registration.

Similar hurdles were faced by 28‑year‑old Mekala Harshavardhan of Boduppal and several residents of Peerzadiguda, whose plots were categorised as Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) land, halting the registration process.

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What is Section 22A?

Section 22A of the Registration Act was introduced to prevent illegal registration of government lands, water bodies, forest areas, endowments, waqf properties and other protected assets. It empowers the state to declare specific lands as “non‑registrable,” thereby blocking fraudulent transfers.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the blanket inclusion of entire survey numbers under Section 22A is creating a systemic risk for the real‑estate market in Telangana, potentially freezing billions of rupees in private assets and eroding buyer confidence.

“If record accuracy isn’t improved, the inadvertent tagging of private land as prohibited could become a catastrophic policy error.” – Land‑law scholar Dr. Ajay Singh
Did You Know?: Section 22A was first used in 2015 to block registration of 3.2 million sq m of government land.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can affected owners still get their plots re‑registered?

A: Currently, owners must obtain a No‑Objection Certificate from the District Collector before registration can proceed.

Q2: When will the government resolve this issue?

A: No official timeline has been announced, though officials have promised expedited directives.