Legal circles: BRS leader files writ seeking direction not to demolish party office

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s single bench of Justice Kunuru Lakshman on Monday heard the writ filed by Dasyam Vinay Bhasker, Hanamkonda district BRS president, seeking a direction to the RDO, Hanamkonda, Commissioner, Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation and the Detupy Commissioner, Kazipet, Circle-II “not to take any coercive action” against the party office constructed temporarily on one acre in survey no. 1066 of Hanamkonda village and mandal.

The petitioner is aggrieved by issue of a notice dated June 21 by the RDO directing him to furnish the building permission obtained by the party to construct the temporary office at the site within three days, failing which punitive action will be initiated.

The petitioner contends the notice was issued at the behest of Naini Rajender Reddy, Congress MLA Warangal (West), and his intention is to cancel the land allotment to the party in Hanamkonda. He also contends it will take some time to get the requisite documents sought by officials as they will be in the party head office in Hyderabad.

The petitioner’s counsel told the court that the RDO’s notice is due to political pressure from the Congress leader. The judge adjourned the writ hearing to July 18 for instructions.

Appointment of law officers to work in subordinate courts in TG will be subject to final HC orders

On Monday the HC single bench of Justice B Vijaysen Reddy made it amply clear that any appointment of law officers / temporary arrangement of advocates to work as law officers in various subordinate courts by the government will be subject to final outcome of the petitions being adjudicated. The judge adjourned the writs to July 22 for further hearing.

The judge was adjudicating three writs, one filled by Nagaram Anjiah, government pleader, working in Principal District & Sessions Judge Court, Bhongir, and 21 others. The other petition was filed by Nagurthi Latha, Government Pleader, Additional District & Sessions Civil Judge Court, Kamareddy. The third petition was filed by N. Satyanarayana, AGP and another, challenging GO 354 (law department), dated June 26 discontinuing the services of law officers (standing counsels, Assistant government pleaders, Additional government pleaders) working in lower courts across the State.

Vedula Venkataramana, senior counsel, appearing in one of the petitions, informed the judge that the government’s decision to discontinue the law officers is without application of mind, arbitrary, illegal and is violation of Article 14. He said the government had instructed all the collectors to make alternate / temporary arrangements to work in place of the law officers, whose services are discontinued by identifying a suitable advocate to work in their place on payment of remuneration for six months.

Despite the fact that the term of the law officers is for three years, the government had taken this decision, which is uncalled for. He cited a Supreme Court judgment, which says the State government cannot discontinue the services of law officers working in lower courts unceremoniously. This is a mass termination, averred the counsel… termination of the law officers by the government is a political decision… whereas the decision to terminate the service of a law officer should be on a ground viz. misconduct or inefficiency, whereas in this case, there is no such cause shown by the government except for the reason “lack of confidence”.

Venkataramana informed the court that the government in its counter affidavit justifying its decision in discontinue the law officers had cited the reason “lack of confidence” is an argument which cannot be digested because these law officers were selected under the supervision of a district judge; they were selected after ensuring that the advocate is suitable in all aspects. Hearing in the case was adjourned to July 22.