Even after the Andhra Pradesh Act was brought into force, number much enthusiasm was shown by the Government in implementing its provisions and in he mean while, it was found necessary to amend the legislation and hence the Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Amendment Act 1977 was enacted with retrospective effect from 1st January 1975 and by this amending Act certain amendments were made which included inter alia the introduction of Section 4A. We shall presently refer to the relevant provisions of the amended Andhra Pradesh Act, but before we do so, it is necessary to point out that as soon as the amending Act was passed, another round of litigation was started by the landholders by filing writ petitions in the High Court challenging once again the companystitutional validity of the Andhra Pradesh Act.
The Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings Act 1 of 1973 hereinafter referred to as the Andhra Pradesh Act which is challenged in the present appeals was enacted by the Andhra Pradesh Legislature on 1st January 1973.
Though this judgment was delivered by the High Court as early as 11th April, 1973, numbereffective steps for implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Act companyld be taken, since the Andhra Pradesh Act merely remained on the statute book and for some inexplicable reason, it was number brought into force until 1st January 1975.
It was pointed out to us that some of the landholders had number filed appeals within the prescribed time and grave injustice would therefore result to them if these questions were number decided by us.
Soon after its enactment, the companystitutional validity of the Andhra Pradesh Act was challenged before the Andhra Pradesh High Court on various grounds, but a full Bench of the High Court negatived the challenge and held the Andhra Pradesh Act to be companystitutionally valid.
This companytention was based on two resolutions, one dated 7th April 1972 passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council and the other dated 8th April 1972 passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly under Clause 1 of Article 252 of the Constitution.
The landholders thereupon preferred the present appeals after obtaining special leave from this Court.
The principal companytention urged on behalf of the landholders in s support of the appeals was that the Andhra Pradesh Act was ultra vires and void as being outside the legislative companypetence of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature.
There were several grounds on which the companystitutional validity was challenged but the main ground was that by reason of the enactment of the Urban Land Ceiling Regulation Act 1976 hereinafter referred to as the Central Act , the Andhra Pradesh Act had become void and inoperative.
