HC to appoint advocate-commissioner to record evidence today

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s single bench of Justice M Lakshman on Thursday adjourned the petition challenging the election of Minister V Srinivas Goud to August 11 for appointment of an advocate-commissioner to record the evidence of the petitioner and Goud. Both counsels, for the petitioner and Goud suggested some names of advocates.

The judge will appoint the advocate-commissioner on Friday. The judge was hearing the election petition filed by Chaluvagali Raghavendra Raju of B K Reddy Colony (Mahbubnagar district) seeking a direction to declare the election of Goud from Mahbubnagar Constituency in 2018 as invalid.

The petitioner alleged Goud suppressed and concealed information in form 26 before the Returning Officer, Mahbubnagar, violating the RP Act and election rules. Information regarding immovable property acquired by his wife, mortgage loan of Rs. 12 lakh from Grameena Vikas Bank, Mahbubnagar, and other bank accounts of his wife were concealed in the affidavit furnished before the RO. The petitioner also accused Goud of committing malpractice in collusion with the RO by replacing the affidavit submitted in form 26 along with nomination papers, which were found defective. He sought a direction to declare Goud’s election invalid. Hearing in the case was adjourned to August 11.

Stay of e-auction of Badvel lands today; court refuses to hear PIL

On Thursday Ponnam Ashok Goud, HC advocate, made a mention before the CJ bench seeking a lunch motion hearing of PIL filed on August 9, seeking a stay on e-auction of the Badvel lands.

Counsel Ponnam Ashok Goud said the government has assured the HC that it will allot 100 acres in Badvel for the construction of a new HC, but is going ahead with auction of lands. He mentioned in the PIL filed by advocate Uma Shankar Nemmikanti of Hyderabad, seeking to stay the auction. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe refused to grant a lunch motion hearing. He questioned Goud whether he had spoken to his colleague advocates, president of the T Bar Association on the issue, prior to making a mention before the bench, seeking a lunch motion hearing, to which Goud replied in negative.

The CJ said on Wednesday the president of the Telangana Bar Association, members, executive members, including the Advocate-General, had met him and discussed the issue. At this stage, the CJ said, he cannot divulge what transpired during the discussions. He said if the petitioner wants the court to continue in this building, then he should seek an urgent hearing or else not. The CJ observed “ I firmly believe that we all are working in the interest of the institution including you…in case, your (petitioner) intention is to stall the whole process of allotting land for the construction of a new HC, then he should seek an urgent hearing”.

HC directs govt to file status report on allotment of 2 BHK houses to beneficiaries in 3 weeks

Harender Prasad, special government pleader attached to the Advocate-General’s office informed the division bench, comprising CJ Alok Aradhe and Justice Vinod Kumar, that the construction of 143,554 double bedroom houses are complete in all aspects. As per the recommendation of the committee constituted to select the eligible beneficiaries for allotment of houses, 65,538 units have been allotted in districts of the State.

He sought three weeks’ time to file a fresh status report to the court on the construction and allotment of 2 BHK houses to eligible BPL families.

The bench was adjudicating the PIL filed by N Indrasena Reddy, former MLA, seeking a direction to the district collectors to allot 2 BHK houses. The counsel for the petitioner disputed the contention of Prasad stating that on ground there are no double bedroom houses, which are constructed and allotted.

The bench directed the counsel to file an affidavit with his contentions. The SGP informed the bench that the task of construction of 2BHK houses is being taken up continuously so as to extend the scheme to eligible BPL families across the State.

The construction is being taken up in a phased manner in all districts. In GHMC limits, the construction of 4,074 hoses is complete and have been handed over to the beneficiaries.

The GHMC has taken up a special drive to construct another 64,458 houses within three months. Hearing in the case was adjourned by three weeks for filing an updated status report.

Court suspends GO appointing VAOs as junior assistants in other departments

The High Court single bench of Justice P Madhavi Devi on Thursday suspended GO 81 (Revenue Ser.II department) dated July 24 appointed VALOs as junior assistants and below cadre posts in various other departments. It directed the State to maintain status quo in this issue.

The VROs sought a direction to the government to continue them in the Revenue department itself as junior assistants, record Assistants, office subordinates based on their qualifications

A batch of three writ petitions were listed before Justice Madhavi for hearing. They were filed by Shadab Hakim, tahsildar, office of oollector, Jagtial district; another WP was filed by GuddollaBhumanna, VRO and five others from Nizamabad; the third WP was filed by Kurisenga Adithya, 29 other office subordinates, working in the office of RDO, Rajanna Sircilla, seeking a direction to suspend the GO

P V Krishniah, senior Counsel, Sriram Polali, counsel, argued for the petitioners. Rama Rao, SGP (Services) argued for the State.

Petition to re-schedule Group-II exam to be heard today

Duda Mahesh and 149 others, all Group-II aspirants of TSPSC filed a writ petition in the High Court, seeking a direction to ‘reschedule’ the examination proposed on August 29 and 30 The petitioners contended that nearly 5.5 lakh aspirants are waiting to appear for the Group-II exam. In August there are many competitive examinations, because of which the petitioners have made a representation to TSPSC to re-schedule the Group-II exam, but it has not communicated any reply. The petitioners sought a direction to TSPSC to hold the Group-II exam after the Gurukul teacher exams, Polytechnic & JL exams. If such an arrangement is made, it will give sufficient time to the petitioners to prepare well for the Group-II exam, they contended. The plea will come up for hearing before the single judge on August 11.