Surat East MLA seeks proper implementation of Disturbed Areas Act; meets Addl. Chief Secretary

Surat: The issue of property transfers in areas falling under the Disturbed Areas Act in Surat has once again flared up. Arvind Rana, MLA from Surat East, met with Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, Dr. Jayanti Ravi, alleging irregularities and improper approvals granted in Surat Central Zone over the past few years.

The MLA also leveled serious allegations of corruption against the police, Mamlatdar, and Deputy Collector (Prant Office), demanding that all orders passed without consulting nearby residents be canceled.

In his written representation, MLA Rana claimed that large-scale corruption by the Mamlatdar and Deputy Collector offices has led to unilateral approvals, undermining the law’s intent to maintain communal harmony. Instead of protecting local residents, the Revenue Department has been issuing one-sided approvals without seeking their consent. “This has forced a significant number of Hindu families in my constituency to migrate,” he said.

Citing official records, Rana stated that in City Survey Ward Nos. 1 to 12, out of 186 applications filed in 2022 for the sale or transfer of properties by Hindus to non-Hindus, 132 received positive opinions. In 2023, 428 out of 646 applications were approved, and in 2024, 68 out of 294 have been cleared so far.

Furthermore, the Surat Police Commissioner issued a circular on June 4, 2024, directing that the Police Inspector and Mamlatdar should conduct joint site visits in the presence of the Assistant Police Commissioner and Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Following this, the Deputy Police Commissioner was to provide an independent opinion. However, according to the MLA, the Mamlatdar and Sub-Divisional Magistrate have failed to conduct these joint inspections with the police.

The MLA’s letter further stated that, without seeking the opinions of local property owners or notifying them, the City Province (North) department approved the transfer of 311 out of 423 properties—from Hindu to Muslim and Muslim to Hindu—between June 4, 2024, and July 5, 2025. This, he said, has raised serious concerns of administrative lapses and corruption. Given the gravity of the situation, Rana demanded revocation of all such orders passed without public consultation, reopening of files, and a high-level inquiry.

In response, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department assured the MLA that an investigation would be carried out and appropriate action taken, including revoking approvals found to have been improperly granted. DeshGujarat