Hyderabad: The National Alliance of People’s Movements, represented by B. Ramakrishnam Raju of Hyderabad and several other farmers from Guntur district have approached the Hyderabad High Court questioning the constitutional validity of the AP Capital Regional Development Authority Act (CRDA), 2014.

The petitioners submitted that the CRDA Act has not been reserved for consideration nor has it received the assent of the President of India and the Act is repugnant to the Central Act relating to land acquisition.

They contended that their lands can be acquired only in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Re-settlement Act, 2013.

They alleged that the state government authorities are making hectic efforts at acquiring thousands of acres of land, including their lands and they are being barred from conducting agricultural activities from April 1, 2015 onwards.

While urging the court to declare the CRDA Act as unconstitutional, the petitioners prayed to the court to direct the authorities to exclude the villages on either side of river Krishna to a stretch of 2 km from the land pooling scheme and acquisition and not to interfere with the cultivation, possession and enjoyment of their lands.