CCTVs will be installed soon in all police stations across Telangana

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji, on Tuesday heard the taken up PIL against the police to install CCTV cameras in all police stations across the State to reduce custodial deaths, human rights violations and to protect innocent from police brutality.

Rapolu Bhaskar, advocate, in his letter to the court informed that custodial deaths and human rights violations were taking place in police stations. Some police officers have been accused of harassing innocent persons by fabricating false charges.Instances of lockup deaths of innocent people have also been reported which may be attributed to lack of CC camera installations in police stations, Bhaskar said in his letter.

Government Pleader (Home department) M Roopender told the court that of the 774 police stations in Telangana, in 369 CCTV cameras have been installed. Work is on in 293 police stations to install CCTV cameras; plans are on to install CCTVs in 103 police stations.

He said in SLP no. 3543/2023 in the Supreme Court the State filed an affidavit furnishing details on the number of CCTV cameras installed in police stations. The SC has been apprised of the steps taken by the State. Regarding installation of CCTVs in all police stations across the country the apex court is monitoring the issue; hence there is no need for continuing the case in the High Court. Assenting to the submission of Roopender, the bench closed the taken up PIL.

State seeks time to inform date of holding elections to local bodies

On Tuesday the division bench directed the Commissioner, Panchayat Raj department, to inform the court as to by which date the government will hold elections to the local bodies of zilla parishads, mandal parishads and gram panchayats.

Till now posts of 220 sarpanches, 94 MPTCs, four ZPTCs, 5,364 ward members and 344 deputy sarpanch are vacant in the State and due to non-holding of elections to the local bodies. People living in villages are deprived of welfare and developmental activities in districts.

On March 24 this year the division bench had issued notices to the Election Commission, Telangana State Election Commission and the Commissioner, Panchayat Raj, directing them to inform the court the date local bodies elections will be held.

On Tuesday when the plea came up for hearing before the HC. Nazir Ahmed Khan, GP for Panchayat Raj department, sought some more time on the ground that the Advocate-General Telangana will appear in this PIL and inform by which date the government will hold the elections.

After hearing GP the CJ observed that the Election Commission will hold elections, once the State gives its clearance and adjourned the PIL to July 28.

The division bench was adjudicating the PIL filed by Bhaskar seeking directions to the Chief Election Officer, State Election Commission, Commissioner Panchayat Raj to conduct elections to the local bodies.

PIL to create a robust drainage system in Hyderabad

8 HC issues notices to State govt

8 Case adjourned to August 22, directing State to file counter

On Tuesday the division bench issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary Municipal Administration and Urban Development, and Managing Director, HMDA, directing them to respond furnishing detailed information on the State’s endeavour in creating a robust and concrete drainage system in Hyderabad so that people are not vulnerable to inundation and floods leading to loss of life, property during rainy season.

During rainy season and floods, many times the city has witnessed loss of lives and property as heavy flood water entered residential complexes, malls, roads leading to inundation of houses and property. The drainage system was blocked due to heavy rain leading to blockage. This led to washing away of people in blocked drains, leading to loss of lives.

The bench was adjudicating the taken up PIL by converting the email addressed to the Chief Justice apprising the court of the impending need to create a robust drainage system in the city as many people, including adolescents, died due to fury of rain and to ensure protection to life there should be a robust drainage system in place.

Hearing in the case was adjourned to August 22.