CHIGURUPATI VENKATA SUBBAYYA & ORS. vs PALADUGA ANJAYYA & ORS.

The Supreme Court held that under Section 20A of the Madras Estates Land Act, 1908, a Collector must declare that communal land is no longer required for its original purpose before diverting its use. The Court found that the Zamindar had no right to deal with communal lands and that the Assistant Settlement Officer lacked the authority to convert communal land into ryoti land under Section 11 of the Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948. The appeal was dismissed, affirming that the civil courts retained jurisdiction as there was no written order from the Collector under Section 20A.