Hyderabad: The Supreme Court upheld the Forest Department’s claim over nearly 600 acres of disputed land in Bhadradri Kothagudem district and dismissed the civil appeal filed by the petitioners.
The dispute relates to land in Survey No. 81 of Kalvala Nagaram village in Karakagudem mandal. The government proposed including the land within the Reserved Forest limits through a Gazette notification on February 6, 1950.
Petitioners claimed that authorities granted the land to them during the Nizam period between 1931 and 1933 Fasli. They sought exemption of the land from the forest limits.
However, the petitioners failed to produce valid ownership documents before the authorities.
Forest Department claim backed by official records
On May 19, 2003, the then Khammam Joint Collector rejected the petitioners’ claims. The official noted that government records classified the land as forest land.
The petitioners later challenged the order before the Telangana High Court. Initially, a Single Judge ruled in their favour.
Subsequently, a Division Bench overturned the order and upheld the government’s stand regarding the disputed land.
The matter later reached the Supreme Court. The apex court ruled that revenue documents such as Faisal Patti, Wasool Baqi and Pahanis could only indicate possession and not ownership rights.
The Supreme Court also observed that courts could not grant a declaration of title through a writ petition. The bench criticised the earlier Single Judge order while supporting the Division Bench judgment and Joint Collector’s findings.
Finally, the apex court dismissed the civil appeal and reaffirmed the Forest Department’s ownership claim over the land.
Supreme Court Upholds Forest Department’s Claim Over 600 Acres in Bhadradri Kothagudem
In a final ruling, the Supreme Court of India has clarified that around 600 acres of disputed land in Bhadradri Kothagudem district belongs to the Forest Department.
The case pertains to land… pic.twitter.com/7VAat5TN9e
— IPRDepartment (@IPRTelangana) May 6, 2026