Saturday, June 19, 2010

HC stays SHRC order to ban

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 18: The AP High Court on Friday granted interim stay on the orders of the State Human Rights Commission which had banned Aata-5, a reality show for children on Zee TV.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar was dealing with petitions filed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and OAK Enterprises Pvt Ltd, challenging the ban imposed by the SHRC.

Mr Challa Kodandram and Mr S. Niranjan Reddy who appeared on the petitioners’ behalf, contended that the commission does not have power to prohibit the telecast of the programme, and that it cannot assume the role of a “censor board”.

Mr Kodandaram argued that the Human Rights Protection Act permits the SHRC to give interim relief to persons who are victims of public servants. That situation does not exist in the case of the reality show.

Mr A. Satya Prasad, additional advocate-general, contended that the SHRC has jurisdiction under Section 18 of the Act and urged the court to interpret the rules and provisions keeping in view the spirit of the Act.

TTD told to clear stand on staff age

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nisar Ahmed Kakru and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar of the AP High Court on Friday directed the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams (TTD) to make its stand clear on the issue of continuing the service of its employees beyond the age of 60 years.

The bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by Mr Vijaya Sai Reddy a member of TTD board, who told the court that more than 100 employees are continuing in the TTD beyond the age of 60 years.

He stated that the court had passed orders directing the TTD to relieve Mr Seshadri from service. The bench adjourned the hearing after granting time to the TTD make its stand clear in this regard.

State gets notice on fake encounter

Justice Seshasayana Reddy of the AP High Court issued notices to the state government on a writ petition on the encounter of Bikku Pawar, an alleged ganja smuggler, in Medak district.

Mr Bikku, 85, father of Bikku Pawar, filed the petition alleging that the police had killed his son in a fake encounter to avenge the alleged killing of one Suresh, a police constable, by his son.

Mr Bikku told the court that Suresh had molested tribal women and had tried to outrage the modesty of Bikku Pawar’s wife.

He sought compensation from the government for the killing of his son illegally.

State served notice on land transfer

The AP High Court on Friday issued notices to the government on a writ petition challenging the transfer of 14 acres of land in a scheduled area to a private power project, SLS Power Corporation, in Khammam district. The bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by Agency Dalit Samkshema. The petitioner contended that in view of the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional provisions and land transfer regulations, such transfer was illegal.

Justice P.V.Sanjay Kumar of the AP High Court directed officials not to evict hut-dwellers from Sundariah Nagar of Markapuram, Prakasam district. The judge granted interim orders while dealing with a lunch motion moved by Mr Ruben and others.

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