Telangana to Publish Revised ‘Prohibited Lands’ List Covering Over One Crore Acres
Following High Court directions, the updated list will be uploaded in early November; public objections to be invited before final notification under Section 22-A of the Registration Act.
The revenue department has prepared an updated list of land parcels in the ‘prohibited list’ across Telangana, following directions of the Telangana High Court. The revised list, covering more than one crore acres, is likely to be uploaded on the stamps and registrations department’s website in the first week of November.
After publication, the government will invite objections from the public and other stakeholders before finalising the list.
Officials said the revised list of land parcels in the Prohibited Order Book (POB) was compiled based on detailed reports submitted by Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs) from all districts. Once objections are received, revenue officials will examine them and make necessary changes if found genuine.
The final list will then be uploaded, followed by a gazette notification under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, officially identifying lands on which registration is prohibited. The relevant survey numbers will be locked on both the Bhu Bharati and and the stamps and registrations department portals to prevent any transactions.According to official sources, the updated list categorises prohibited lands as those owned by government departments, assigned land distributed to the poor, forest land, endowment properties, irrigation project land, and land used for roads and residential purposes. These collectively account for about 77 lakh acres.
In addition, around 18 lakh acres of agricultural land without pattadar passbooks have been included in the prohibited category. Another three lakh acres of agricultural land that were converted into non-agricultural land (NALA) have also been added to the list.Telangana’s total land extent is about 2.5 crore acres, of which pattadar passbooks have been issued for 1.53 crore acres. The remaining one crore acres have now been classified as prohibited land. This extensive exercise aims to eliminate discrepancies, ensure transparency in land registration, and prevent illegal transactions or encroachments on government and endowment properties.The High Court, on August 25, directed the state government to prepare an updated list of prohibited land and circulate it to all sub-registrars within nine weeks, with the deadline ending on October 29. The court’s direction followed submissions from the government stating that a special mechanism had been established to address thousands of land disputes arising under Section 22-A of the Stamps and Registrations Act.In compliance with the court’s directions, the government issued GO Ms No. 98 on August 23, 2025, constituting a three-member high-level committee to review and update the prohibited lands list. The committee is headed by the secretary Chief Commissioner of Land Administration as chairman, with a retired district judge as member, and the commissioner of the survey and settlement department as member-convener.The committee was tasked with examining the status of lands notified under Section 22-A, ensuring that the list reflects current ownership and usage, and resolving long-pending inconsistencies that have led to confusion in land transactions.
