Unpaid land compensation: Telangana HC summons three senior IAS officers on Feb 2 for `willful disobedience’

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has summoned three senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to appear in person on February 2 for alleged wilful disobedience of judicial directions related to unpaid land compensation.

The court took a serious view of the state government’s failure to comply with its orders.

Court flags wilful disobedience

Justice N. V. Shravan Kumar issued summons to Rahul Bojja, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Command Area Development Department; Sandeep Kumar Sulthania, Principal Secretary, Finance Department; and Lokesh Kumar, Chief Commissioner of Land Administration.

The summons were issued while hearing a contempt petition filed by landowners who alleged deliberate non-compliance with the Court’s earlier orders.

Background of the dispute

The case relates to compensation for lands acquired by the Telangana Government in 2013, which remains unpaid despite a judgment and decree passed by the Principal Senior Civil Judge, Wanaparthy, on June 15, 2015.

Aggrieved by prolonged inaction, the landowners approached the High Court in Writ Petition No. 13285 of 2025, seeking directions to the State to release compensation for their acquired lands.

High Court’s earlier direction ignored

On April 29, 2025, Justice Shravan Kumar had directed the State Government to deposit 50 per cent of the decretal amount before the Senior Civil Judge, Wanaparthy, as interim relief. The Court noted that the petitioners had already waited for more than a decade for compensation.

However, even after eight months, the State failed to comply with the order, prompting the petitioners to initiate contempt proceedings against the officials responsible for implementation.

Court’s strong observations

During the hearing, the Court expressed serious concern over what it described as a “cavalier attitude” of senior government functionaries towards judicial orders. The Judge observed that non-compliance by officials holding constitutional positions cannot be tolerated in a democracy governed by the rule of law.

The Bench noted that the petitioners had suffered grave injustice by being deprived of their land for over twelve years without lawful compensation, and that continued defiance of court orders only aggravated their hardship.

Personal appearance ordered

The Court directed the three officers to appear in person on February 2, 2026, and explain the reasons for the failure to deposit the compensation amount as ordered. The summons makes it clear that the officers must satisfy the Court regarding their conduct.

The Court also indicated that appropriate action would be considered if the explanations offered are found unsatisfactory or if the non-compliance is held to be deliberate.

Wider implications

Legal experts point out that the case highlights a persistent problem of executive non-compliance with judicial orders, particularly in matters involving land acquisition compensation. Such delays, they note, not only deny justice to affected citizens but also erode public confidence in the judicial system.

Courts, including the Supreme Court and various High Courts, have repeatedly held that judicial orders are binding on all authorities and must be implemented in letter and spirit, failing which contempt proceedings are inevitable.

Awaiting February 2 hearing

The matter now stands adjourned to February 2, 2026, when the three senior IAS officers are expected to appear before the Court. The outcome is likely to have significant implications for both the petitioners and the broader issue of accountability of public officials in complying with court mandates.

The Court’s intervention serves as a clear reminder that no official, regardless of rank, is above the law, and that wilful defiance of judicial orders will invite strict scrutiny and consequences.