HC sets aside note rejecting war veterans’ prayer for house site

The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to allot a 300 square yard house to 1970s war veteran P. Seetaramaraju in any of the urban areas in the state within three months.

Justice NV Shravan Kumar, while disposing of the writ petition filed by the ex-serviceman, said the petitioner cannot seek allotment of land at a place of his choice. This should be done strictly in accordance with the law, the order said.

The judge also set aside a note issued by the state government on July 24, 2014, which rejected the war veteran’s claim for allotment of land on the ground that it belonged to West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. He joined the Indian Army on 23 January 1970 as a Havaldar. He was injured during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. Almost four years later, he was medically discharged.

In 1993, the then government of the undivided state of AP issued GO Ms. No. 1181 for allotment of houses to war widows of reference personnel and physically challenged ex-servicemen. Seetharamaraju also asked for the site of the house. With no positive response from the authorities, he moved the HC in 2002, which ordered the government to hear his case within three months.

Since the authorities did nothing, a year later the war veteran filed a lawsuit. The HC shut it down after instructing officials to allot it a plot of 300 square yards of land as recommended by the revenue officer of Balanagar Mandal of Rangareddy district. While the legal battle continued, the Rangareddy District Collector issued a memorandum in 2014 rejecting the former service technician’s request for allotment of land as he originally hailed from AP’s West Godavari.

In response, the petitioner also produced a certificate issued by Sainik Welfare Officer of Rangareddy, Medchal and Vikarabad Districts where his permanent residence was given as Kukatpally of Rangareddy District. The communication rejecting the ex-serviceman’s claim on the ground of birth alone cannot be accepted, the judge said as he issued the final order.

Published – 26 Jun 2026 22:12 IST