Revenue authorities told to examine records in 13-year-old land dispute involving 70 acres of government land in Kalaburagi district

B. Venkata Singh, Information Commissioner, Kalaburagi bench | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

The Kalaburagi bench of the Karnataka Information Commission has directed Assistant Commissioner of Kalaburagi sub-division Ritika Verma to take appropriate action on a land dispute involving 70 acres and seven guntas recorded under different survey numbers in two neighbouring villages, following a report submitted by the Kalaburagi tahsildar.

State Information Commissioner B. Venkat Singh passed the order while disposing of a second appeal filed by Hanumanth Kalnoor , which had been pending for nearly 13 years and had been heard 30 times by the Information Commission’s benches in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi.

The dispute concerns land recorded in the name of Karada Shankarao under Survey No. 62 of Zhapur village and Survey No. 107 of Kalnoor village in Kalaburagi taluk. According to a report by the Deputy Director of Land Records, the two entries pertain to the same plot of 70 acres and seven guntas.

The report stated that the government land was not actually located in Survey No. 62 of Zhapur village and that the land in question was the same parcel recorded under Survey No. 107 of Kalnoor village. It recommended cancelling the entry describing the land in Zhapur as government gairan land, setting aside the 1961 entry in the name of Karada Shankarao in the Kalnoor survey records, and restoring the land to the government.

Acting on the land records report, Tahsildar Anand Sheel wrote to the Assistant Commissioner on October 9, 2026, seeking appropriate action. He submitted a copy of the letter to the Commission during the final hearing on October 15, which the Commission took on record.

The Commission directed the Assistant Commissioner to act on the issues raised in the tahsildar’s letter and submit a compliance report within 60 days. It also ordered the tahsildar to inform the appellant of the action taken and submit to the Commission copies of the information furnished to him and the acknowledgement of receipt.

The Commission further directed the Deputy Commissioner of Kalaburagi, the Regional Commissioner of Kalaburagi division, the Commissioner of the Revenue Department, and the Additional Chief Secretary to the Revenue Department, Karnataka government, to ensure that the Assistant Commissioner takes appropriate action in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

The tahsildar was cautioned that failure to comply with the Commission’s directions could invite action under Section 20(2) of the Act.

An appeal was filed on July 27, 2013, concerning the discrepancy in the land records of Zhapur and Kalnoor villages. After nearly 13 years of proceedings, the Commission disposed of the case on the basis of the report and letter submitted by the tahsildar, while directing the revenue authorities to take further action and report compliance.

Published - October 29, 2026 09:17 am IST