Section 22A Row: Harish Rao Seeks Action Against Revenue Minister

Former Telangana minister and BRS leader T. Harish Rao has written an open letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging misuse of Section 22A of the Registration Act and widespread corruption in the state Revenue Department. Rao demanded the immediate removal of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, alleging that private properties in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal and Sangareddy districts were being arbitrarily included in the prohibited list. He claimed that properties with HMDA permissions and valid documents were being subjected to harassment and alleged that intermediaries were demanding commissions for removing properties from the 22A list. These allegations are political claims and have not been independently established. Recent reporting also shows that the state government has acknowledged errors in the 22A list and said they would be corrected.

Rao further alleged that disputes were being created over lands around the Outer Ring Road and that some property owners were being pressured into joint-development agreements. He demanded an independent inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge into every land added to or removed from the prohibited list since December 2023. He also sought a forensic audit to establish who made the entries, why they were changed and whether intermediaries or financial transactions were involved. Rao urged the government to publish district-wise 22A lists in the public domain and disclose the orders and reasons behind additions and deletions. He said the government should order an independent probe if the allegations were false and warned that the BRS would continue its campaign until affected property owners receive justice.