Andhra High Court: Petition challenging ‘Scheduled Area’ tag rejected

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, April 19 : The High Court has dismissed petitions challenging the action of the state government in declaring the Mangapeta mandal a “Scheduled Area.”

The mandal in Warangal has 23 revenue villages and 80 gram panchayats. Justice Ramesh Ranganathan dismissed two petitions, by Mandava Rama Krishna and seven others, against the government action.

The petitioners contended that the 23 revenue villages and 80 gram panchayats of the mandal were not declared “Scheduled Areas” by the President, under Para 6(1) of the V Schedule to the Constitution. They said that the Centre and the state government had treated these villages as non-scheduled areas till 2006.

In fact, the request of the state government to declare these villages “Scheduled Areas” was rejected by the Centre on March 23, 1979.

The government said these villages continued to be a part of the tribal areas of the erstwhile Hyderabad State till they became a Part B State, under Schedule I of the Constitution of India, from January 26, 1950 onwards. It added that, both in Presidential Order (dated December 7,1950) and in notification (dated November 16, 1949) issued under the Tribal Area Regulation 1359 Fasli, the list of villages are the same and the names of villages appear in the same order.

The judge found that “the basis, for the proceedings issued and the correspondence entered into between officials of the Centre and state governments and the Bhuria Commission report, for their assumption that these 23 villages were not part of the Scheduled Areas, is only the judgement of this court in Koya Brahmanandam”. He felt the judgement then was pronounced in ignorance of the relevant legal provisions and facts.

RPS chief seeks to quash FIR
Rayalaseema Parirakshna Samiti president Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy has moved the High Court seeking to quash the FIR registered against him at III Town police station in Kurnool. He contended that a false case has been foisted against him, with regard to the killing of one T. Sai Eswarudu. He urged the court to stay all further proceedings in the case, as he, being president of a party, needs to participate in the polls.

Vimalakka moves court for rally
Telangana United Front co-chairperson Vimalakka approached the HC challenging the action of the police in not granting permission to the proposed “Praja Chaitanya Yatra” in Telangana. She said that the rally was intended to create awareness among the public about voting.