Asaduddin Owaisi seeks probe into Kishanbagh police firing

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 30: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and urged him to order a judicial inquiry into the police firing at Kishanbagh on May 14. Mr Owaisi wanted a sitting judge of the High Court to conduct the probe.

Mr Owaisi submitted a memorandum claiming that some miscreants had attacked the residents of Arsh Mahal with swords and daggers and had burnt several vehicles on May 14.

“The residents of Arsh Mahal pelted stones in self-defence. Meanwhile, the police reinforcements reached the spot. However, instead of controlling the assailants, who were brandishing swords and attacking locals indiscriminately, the police personnel from the Central para-military forces opened fired on the residents of the locality. Three young men were killed on the spot and a dozen others were injured,” he said.

He told the Governor that the police firing was unwarranted and the clash between both the communities could have been averted by using least possible force.

He requested the Governor to initiate action against the police officers responsible for the unwarranted police firing. He also wanted the ex gratia amount to the families of the deceased to be enhanced from Rs 6 lakh to rS 10 lakh.

Andhra Pradesh High Court says no capital punishment for ‘killer’ cop

BY S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 29: The AP High Court acquitted a CRPF constable who was awarded death sentence for killing seven  people, including his two minor children, by the Srikakulam district sessions court in 2012.

While acquitting the man, a division bench observed that there were several missing links in the prosecution’s case, apart from lapses on the part of material witnesses and the prosecution.

A case had been registered by the Jalumuru police on December 1, 2010 against Metta Shankara Rao, a resident of Mettapeta, a remote village in the district, for killing seven people, including his minor son and daughter, on the complaint of the Nagirikatakam village revenue officer.

According to the prosecution, after the Shankara Rao, who was convicted for killing his wife, was released on bail, he was involved in the brutal murder of three men, two women and his children.
The accused killed his children on November 30, 2010, and kept their heads near a temple in Mukhlingam village. Thereafter, he killed Pyla Venkati, Boddepalli Damayanthi, Voota Parvathi, Pyla Lakshmana and Metta Yerrayya, who testified against him in the murder case of his wife, by slashing them with a knife. Yerrayya died in a hospital in Narasannapeta while undergoing treatment.

According to the prosecution, Shankara Rao also created havoc in the village by hurling bombs.

The counsel appearing for him, however, argued that the accused’s family was completely ruined by certain people who subjected Shankara Rao to trial and conviction in relation to his wife’s death.
The counsel said that Pyla Venkati and Pyla Lakshmana had hatched a plan to offer the accused’s children as sacrifice in a temple to unearth hidden treasures. They involved the principal of their school.

The counsel argued that the very institution of the case against the accused, was somewhat extraordinary, as it was the village revenue officer, who was in a different village at the time, who had filed the complaint.

The High Court observed that the non-submission of complaints or non-recording of signed statements from the kith and kin of the deceased, spoke for the lack of transparency on the part of the prosecution.

Noting that Shankara Rao may be attacked in his native place, the bench directed the Srikakulam police superintendent to put him in Sri Ramakrishna Ashramam in Visakhapatnam, for one year.

Andhra Pradesh opposes Gangi Reddy’s bail

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 28: The state government on Tuesday moved the AP High Court seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Kollam Gangi Reddy in the red sanders smuggling case booked against him in Kurnool.

Gangi Reddy, a red sanders smuggler and one of the accused in the 2003 attack on TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu at Alipiri, had obtained the bail from the High Court on May 15. He allegedly fled the country using a fake passport on May 21.

The government has submitted before the court that the accused was an international red sanders smuggler having links with Chennai-based international smuggler Sahu Bhai, who is now in Dubai. The government told the court that after obtaining bail, Gangi Reddy left for Bahrain.

It was contended that Gangi Reddy had not disclosed the details of his passport and had concealed the facts. AP CM-in-waiting N. Chandrababu Naidu had written a letter to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Friday alleging that the police had allowed Gangi Reddy to escape from the country. He sought disciplinary action against the officers responsible for the escape of the accused.

JAC to demand separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 27: Advocates from the Seemandhra region practising in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, on Monday, decided to constitute a Joint Action Committee to launch an agitation for the constitution of a separate High Court for the residuary state of AP and also to represent their grievances to the concerned authorities.

Advocates, who met in Hyderabad have resolved to address the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of High Court and other concerned requesting them to take immediate steps for the establishment of a High Court for AP by issuing the requisite notification under Article 214 of the Constitution.

They also resolved to request the Chief Minister of AP and also the leader of the Opposition to make a provision for providing house sites to the advocates who are practising in the High Court, having membership in the High Court Advocates’ Association and to recognise their children as AP locals. They have constituted a 17-member ad hoc committee to carry out their protest, till the official constitution of the JAC.

Andhra High Court to hear pleas against Sun-Ranbaxy merger today

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 23: The Andhra Pradesh High Court will hear the pleas against proposed merger of Ranbaxy with Sun Pharma on Friday. The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the AP High Court to resolve within two days.

The counsel representing Sun Pharma on Thursday made a submission before a vacation bench comprising Justice G. Chandraiah and Justice M.S.K. Jaiswal of the High Court, urging it to take up the petitions for hearing in view of the Supreme Court order.

The counsel submitted that the a petition by two individual investors pending before the court and a single judge granted status quo on merger and the Sun Pharma company filed an application seeking to vacate the interim orders.

Responding to the submissions, Justice Chandraiah said that the matter will be taken up on Friday. The petitioners had requested the High Court to grant an interim stay as they suspect insider trading in Ranbaxy shares before the merger with Sun Pharma was announced on April 6.

They requested the court to direct the Sebi to investigate the alleged insider trading and also to restrain stock exchanges from clearing to the merger of Ranbaxy with Sun Pharma.

As per the statement submitted to the court, more than 70 lakh Ranbaxy shares were traded before the merger was announced, pushing the share price by over 25 per cent.

AP High Court bench stays single judge order in medical admission case

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 23: A Vacation Bench of the AP High Court on Thursday granted interim suspension of an order of a single judge directing the private unaided non-minority medical colleges to consider the cases of the several medical students for admission in the next academic year.

A single judge granted an order directing that the colleges have to consider the cases of students who have approached the court challenging the action of the college managements in not accepting their applications.

The judge also passed a series of directions directing the state government and NTR University of Health Sciences to ensure steps for transparent admission process under the management quota and to prepare a format for common application to be issued by all the medical colleges for admissions into management quota.

Aggrieved by the order, several college managements have moved the appeals before the Vacation Bench. While hearing the case, the bench noticed that earlier Vacation Bench has passes an order by granting interim direction only with regard to admissions of the petitioners and not inclined to stay other directions with regard to streamlining of admission process.

The bench had ordered that "there shall be interim suspension to the extent of directions issued by the single judge to consider the case of the petitioners for admission in the next academic year. It is made clear that if the government wants to make Rules to regulate the C-Category admissions, it is open to the government to do so without reference to pendency of the writ appeal before this Court."

Justice Chandraiah said that the same order will be applied for those colleges who have moved the appeals before this bench.

Telangana must amend most laws as new government set to take charge

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 21 : A gigantic task ahead for the new state of Telangana will be to amend a majority of the state laws are in force in the united Andhra Pradesh state.

A majority of jurists are of the opinion that “it is the responsibility of the new state to adopt existing laws in the residuary state by making amendments with reference to defining the territorial jurisdiction of the Acts”.

As on date, as many as 195 laws are in force in the combined state, including certain laws which were enacted in specific areas such as the AP (Telangana Area) Abolition of Inams (Amendment) Act, 1986, the AP (Telangana Area) Horse Racing and Betting Tax (Amendment) Act, 1986, the AP (Telangana Area) and others.

Bhaskar Pouluri, a High Court advocate, explained that the new state would first have to examine all the laws and adopt them to make applicable in its jurisdiction and while amending the jurisdiction, the legislature would have to incorporate changes in the existing Acts to make them more suitable to the needs of the new state.

He said even though certain laws were made area specific, the new state has to amend the Act by replacing the word Andhra Pradesh with Telangana in the Act, as it is mandatory to make them applicable in the territorial jurisdiction of the new state.

He said that the laws pertaining to service matters of employees would not have to be changed as the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill-2014 envisages for a Common Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for a period of 10 years.
He said that as long as Article 371(D) was in force, there would not be a change in methodology of recruitment.

Praduymna Kumar Reddy, a criminal lawyer, said that while there was an Integrated Police Act currently in force in the combined state, earlier, there were two separate Acts for the Andhra Police and Telangana police. Later, a new Act was introduced by clubbing both the Acts.

He said that the police Acts are mainly meant to take preventive measures to maintain law and order; the new state  and the residuary state have the right to change the existing laws to make them more suitable for their territories.

Referring to the provision under the AP Reorganisation Act, that existing laws would continue in both the states, HC advocate A. Santosh Kumar said that it was for the new state to look into all the Acts and then go for amendments according to its requirements.

He said that the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act was applicable for the entire combined state, but if the residuary state felt that the entire Act was irrelevant for its territory , then it could be repealed and a new Act be brought into. He said that the Taxation Laws and other Central Laws shall remain in force in both states.

Private medical colleges move AP High Court regarding admissions under the management quota

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 21 : Managements of several private unaided medical colleges on Tuesday moved the AP High Court’s Vacation Bench challenging an order of a single judge regarding admissions under the management quota.

The single judge had directed the colleges to grant admission to students (petitioners) who had secured more marks than the last candidate who had been granted admission by the respective college managements during the academic session 2013-14 in 1st year MBBS course during the academic session 2014-2015, against one of the seats under the respective management quota seats, provided, they applied once again.

The judge had directed the state government to frame rules providing a standard format of the application form, containing the required information about the student, for admissions into every private-unaided-non-minority medical college/dental college.

The judge had directed the state government to nominate every principal of government medical colleges in the state as the competent authority to conduct surprise checks during the working hours of an educational institution to search and inspect any record, register for ascertaining that there was compliance with the provisions of the AP Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1983. The judge also issued a series of directions with regard to admissions into private medical colleges under management quota seats.  

Aggrieved by the order, as many as 20 colleges moved the court contending that the order of the single judge would amount to interference into the management of the colleges.

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to have common High Court

AP High Court: Need proper state litigation policy

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 20: The AP High Court has directed the state government to evolve a State Litigation Policy on the lines of the National  Litigation Policy announced by the Centre in 2009, within a period of six months.

Justice A. Ramalingeswara Rao was disposing of a petition by Dr J. Madhusudhan Reddy and other residents of Jubilee Hills area in the city seeking to declare that construction of more than a dwelling unit in the plots allotted by the Jubilee Hills Co-operative House Building Society Limited, as illegal.

Expressing displeasure at the apathy of government law officers in responding towards to the court and implementing its orders, the judge observed that in this case, the GHMC Commissioner exhibited lack of diligence in respect of the orders of the Court.

His conduct was not in a manner befitting his position. It is for the Chief Secretary to take stock of the situation.
The judge observed that though the Centre had formulated a Nation  Litigation Policy to reduce the cases pending in various Courts, it did not look like the state government had evolved any such policy which would have reduced the pending litigation and maintained effective representation before the Courts.

The judge directed that the GHMC Commissioner shall order a departmental enquiry to  find out the officers responsible for disobeying the order dated April 13,2004, and take necessary action against them.  

The Commissioner was also directed to review GHMC cases pending in various courts at least once in three months.

The judge directed that the Chief Secretary shall request the Advocate General to convene a meeting with him and the law secretary once a year at least and review the cases of the government and their progress in various courts in the state and concentrate on cases where the state and its institutions are set ex-parte and take necessary remedial measures. The judge directed that the CS would have to prepare a scheme for computerisation of the cases of the government and its institutions in various courts and their monitoring.

MIM keeps its kite flying high

DC | S.A ISHAQUI

Published May 17, 2014, 12:11 pm IST

MIM retained its 7 sitting Assembly seats and the Hyderabad LS seat

 Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi (left), greets MIM president Asaduddain Owaisi (right) in Hyderabad on Friday. (Photo: Deccan Chronicle)

Hyderabad: The All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen Party retained its seven sitting Assembly seats and the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 general elections.

The party, which had replaced two of its sitting MLAs with new faces, ensured that they won.

 

MIM president, Asaduddin Owaisi, who had won the Hyderabad seat with a majority of 1,10,768 votes in the 2009 elections, retained the seat a third time on Friday with a thumping majority of more than 2 lakh votes. The BJP-TD alliance candidate, Dr Bhagavanth Rao, could not succeed in even reducing the winning majority of the sitting MP. 

 

Party floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi bagged the Chandrayangutta Assembly seat for the fourth time by winning the seat with a majority of 59,248 votes against his nearest rival Dr Khayam Khan of MBT. 

 

The MIM recoded its 11th consecutive victory in the Charminar Assembly seat. Ahamed Pasha Quadri won the seat for the third time with a majority of 36,610 votes.

Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, sitting MLA of Yakutpura, recorded his fifth consecutive victory from the Yakutpura Assembly seat on Friday by winning the seat with a majority of 34,424 votes. 

 

He had first won in 1994 as a MBT party candidate and had later joined the MIM. Mohd Muazzam Khan, who was the first MLA of the newly-constituted Bahadurpura constituency in 2009, retained his seat with a majority of 94,527 votes. This is his third elections as an MLA; he represented the Asif Nagar constituency in 2004 elections and after the abolition of Asif Nagar, he was shifted to Bahadurpura.

 

Kausar Mohiuddin, a first time contestant from Karwan constituency defeated senior BJP leader Baddam Bal Reddy with a margin of 38,072 votes and Jaffer Hussain, former mayor of the city, defeated his nearest rival Mohammed Feroz Khan, the TD -BJP alliance candidate from Nampally constituency with a majority of 16,994 votes.

 

Meanwhile V. Naveen Yadav gave a tough fight to the TD-BJP candidate in the Jubilee Hills constituency but lost his seat. The MIM contested in 34 Assembly seats in Telangana and Seemandhra regions but failed to improve its tally except retaining its seven sitting seats and the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat.  Party candidates lost in 27 Assembly seats and also the Nandyal, Secunderabad and Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seats.

Andhra High Court refuses to entertain YSRC petitions

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 16: A vacation bench comprising Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy of the AP High Court on Thursday refused to entertain two petitions by YSR Congress candidates, challenging the decision of the Election Commission to conduct re-polling in three polling stations of Jamalamadugu Assembly constituency in Kadapa district.

Y.S. Avinash Reddy, the YSR Congress nominee for the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, and C. Adinarayana Reddy, the MLA candidate of Jamalamadugu constituency, moved the court against the decision of the Election Commission to hold re-poll in polling station nos. 80, 81 and 82 in the Jamalamadugu constituency.

They contended that the action of the Chief Electoral Officer in recommending re-polling despite the opinion of the district election officer that there was no need of re-polling as there was no interruption of polling in any manner on the polling day, was illegal and arbitrary.

As re-polling was scheduled on May 13, the petitioner moved house motion on May 12. Justice Subhash Reddy, after hearing a brief on the issue, posted the matter to Thursday.

The counsel for the EC submitted that the commission has already conducted the re-polling in three polling stations on May 13.

Reacting to the submission of the petitioners and respondents, Justice Subhash Reddy said that in view of the recent judgments of the Apex Court and Delhi High Court, the court was not inclined to entertain any matter related to the elections through the writ petitions.

While pointing out that the petitioners always have an opportunity through Election Petition to ventilate their grievance, Justice Subhash Reddy said that the bench decided to dismiss the petitions.

At this stage, the counsel for the petitioners urged the court

Andhra High Court refuses to entertain YSRC petitions

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 16: A vacation bench comprising Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy of the AP High Court on Thursday refused to entertain two petitions by YSR Congress candidates, challenging the decision of the Election Commission to conduct re-polling in three polling stations of Jamalamadugu Assembly constituency in Kadapa district.

Y.S. Avinash Reddy, the YSR Congress nominee for the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, and C. Adinarayana Reddy, the MLA candidate of Jamalamadugu constituency, moved the court against the decision of the Election Commission to hold re-poll in polling station nos. 80, 81 and 82 in the Jamalamadugu constituency.

They contended that the action of the Chief Electoral Officer in recommending re-polling despite the opinion of the district election officer that there was no need of re-polling as there was no interruption of polling in any manner on the polling day, was illegal and arbitrary.

As re-polling was scheduled on May 13, the petitioner moved house motion on May 12. Justice Subhash Reddy, after hearing a brief on the issue, posted the matter to Thursday.

The counsel for the EC submitted that the commission has already conducted the re-polling in three polling stations on May 13.

Reacting to the submission of the petitioners and respondents, Justice Subhash Reddy said that in view of the recent judgments of the Apex Court and Delhi High Court, the court was not inclined to entertain any matter related to the elections through the writ petitions.

While pointing out that the petitioners always have an opportunity through Election Petition to ventilate their grievance, Justice Subhash Reddy said that the bench decided to dismiss the petitions.

At this stage, the counsel for the petitioners urged the court grant liberty to withdraw the petitions and the bench accorded permission for withdrawal of pleas.

AIMIM chief seeks judicial inquiry into firing in Mohammedabad

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 15: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday demanded the state government to order a judicial inquiry by appointing a sitting High Court judge into the incidents that have taken place in the Mohammedabad area of Kishanbagh, including the unwarranted police firing resulting in three deaths.

Condemning the incident, in a letter addressed to the Governor, he alleged that the police, including the central para-military forces, had taken the law into their own hands and instead of using lathi-charge, teargas shells or rubber bullets, they directly opened fire on the Muslim youth.

He said that it was also not clear who had ordered the police firing and whether the central para-military forces had acted on the advice of  the local police or obtained the order for firing from a magistrate.

He urged the Governor to direct the DGP to take stringent action against the police personnel by registering FIR against them.

Patta granted under Board Standing Orders gives full rights

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 11: Giving a solution to the age old land disputes in Andhra and Telangana, the AP High Court has ruled that a patta granted under Board Standing Orders confers absolute title over the land. A person in possession of land for 12 years or more without title can claim transfer of registry in his favour in accordance with paragraph 7 of Board Standing Orders (BSO).

While disposing of a batch writ petition seeking direction to the revenue authorities to determine title and ownership of the land, Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy delivered a 131-page landmark judgement ruling that in  Laoni pattas granted on collection of market value, the pattadar was entitled to sell the land without any restrictions.

Several petitioners across Telangana and Andhra regions moved the High Court after the revenue authorities denied their title based on the entries in the revenue records such as Re-Survey and Re-settlement Register (RSR) and Town Survey Land Register (TSLR).

The judge held that dots or blanks in the pattadar column does not necessarily mean that the land belongs to the government. Despite such blanks or dots, a private person can claim ownership based on entries in the revenue record prepared both prior to and after the commencement of the 1971 Act, besides registered sale transactions.

The judge declared that in the case of estate and inam lands, ryotwari pattas or occupancy rights certificates constitute title and protected tenants under the Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Act 1950, having ownership certificates hold absolute title.

Referring to the disputes with regard to assignment of lands, the judge made it clear that as assignment made under the BSO, prior to June 18, 1954, in Andhra and a patta granted under Laoni rules before July 25, 1958, in Telangana confer absolute title with right to transfer the land.

He said where there was a bonafide dispute regarding title of a person in possession of the lands other than public roads, streets, bridges or the bed of the sea or the like, the government shall approach the competent civil court for declaration of its title.

The judge said that between two rival claimants relying upon the entries in revenue record, the person whose name is recorded in the basic records such as A-Register and Record of Holdings and their successors-in-interest will be considered as the rightful owners.

N Uttam Reddy gets relief as HC grants stay for transporting cash in a car to distribute to voters

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad,May 10: Justice R. Subhash Reddy, the vacation judge of the AP High Court, has granted stay on all further proceedings in a case registered against former minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, and his brother, Goutam Kumar Reddy, during the polling on April 30, allegedly for transporting cash in a car to distribute to voters. 

 

Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy and his brother moved the court seeking to quash the criminal proceedings initiated against them. They told the court that the car in which the cash was seized belongs to their company and the car met with an accident at Suryapet, while he was returning to Hyderabad with the cash collected from one of their customers, at Mellacheruvu village, in Nalgonda district. They submitted that the customer also admitted, before the police, that he had given  Rs 2 lakh as advance for purchasing solar power equipment from their company.

 

They contended that except the allegation that the cash was found in burnt condition and it was stationed at a particular place, there was no other evidence to prove that the cash was meant to be distributed among voters.

 

The counsel for the petitioner, S. Chandra Mohan Reddy, submitted that Mr Goutam Kumar has submitted his reply to the notice served by the police, by explaining the facts, in view of that, the continuation of the case against their clients was against the principles of natural justice.

After hearing the arguments, the judge admitted the plea and directed the police not to proceed further in the case, till further orders.

Order on Post Graduation Medical stayed

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 9: A vacation bench comprising Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy of the AP High Court on Thursday stayed an order passed by a single judge in a case regarding the seat matrix in post graduate medical admissions. The bench was hearing writ appeals by the state government and the NTR University of Health Sciences challenging the order of the single judge.

The single judge had ruled that in common pool category seats reserving seats for the categories of BC-A and BC-D women was illegal. Pooling together residuary seats to be filled by BC candidates does not amount to creating a new class within the BC category. It is permissible for respondents to pool residuary seats in broad specialties reserved for backward classes into a common pool.

The judge declared that the principle laid down by the Supreme Court in Ritesh R. Shah applies to admissions to post-graduate medical courses. The judge struck down clause II (viii) of the rules pertaining to PG medical admissions holding that the clause was arbitrary, discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Arguing on behalf of the government and the varsity advocate-general A. Sudarshan Reddy contended that the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in the Ritesh R. Shah case were not applicable to PG medical admissions and that they were applicable only to MBBS and BDS admissions. He said that PG medical course and graduation courses in medicine are different and both cannot be tagged together for applying the rule of reservation.

The bench agreed with the contention of the government, admitted the appeals and stayed the single judge order.

No relief for PG med hopefuls

A vacation bench comprising Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy of the HC on Thursday declined to grant relief to aspirants of PG medical seats.

The bench pointed out that as the test was conducted afresh and results announced, there was no urgency to hear the plea.

The bench was hearing an appeal by Dr Vikram Reddy and 31 others challenging the order of a single judge upholding the decision of the government cancelling the Post-Graduation Medical Entrance Test (PGMET) 2014 and to conduct the test afresh. S. Ramachandra Rao, senior counsel appearing for the appellants contended that the decision of the state government violated SC orders.

Contending that the government and the NTR Health University had powers to either cancel or re-schedule any examination Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy said the varsity has already conducted the re-examination and announced the results.

While pointing out that there was no urgency to hear the petition at this juncture, the bench posted the case to a date after the summer vacation.

Post Graduate medical aspirants fight test cancellation

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 8: Several medical students aspiring for admissions in post graduate medical courses have moved the vacation bench of the AP High Court challenging an order of a single judge in upholding the decision of the state government in cancelling Post-Graduation Medical Entrance Test (PGMET), 2014 and conducting the test afresh.

The government cancelled the test after allegations that the question paper was leaked and decided to conduct the test afresh besides ordering a probe.
A single judge upheld the decision and permitted the government to hold the test on April 27 as per schedule. The NTR University of Health Sciences conducted the test and announced the results.

Dr Vikram Reddy and 31 others moved the court urging a direction to the government to defer all further actions related to PGMET held on April 27 and to call them for counselling to take admission to PG courses based on their ranking obtained in PGMET held on March 2.

They contended that the government’s decision to cancel the examination was in violation of provisions of NTR University of Health Sciences Act, 1986 and without jurisdiction.

The appellant brought to the notice of the court that Dr Ch. Sushma Reddy who got 88th rank in the test held on March 2, has got 695th rank in the results announced for re-exam held on April 27, and she would not get admission in the PG course in view of the latest rank.

They said that the university had permitted the students who were allegedly involved in leakage of question paper to appear for the fresh examination, instead of taking action on them.

Post Graduate medical aspirants fight test cancellation

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, May 8: Several medical students aspiring for admissions in post graduate medical courses have moved the vacation bench of the AP High Court challenging an order of a single judge in upholding the decision of the state government in cancelling Post-Graduation Medical Entrance Test (PGMET), 2014 and conducting the test afresh.

The government cancelled the test after allegations that the question paper was leaked and decided to conduct the test afresh besides ordering a probe.
A single judge upheld the decision and permitted the government to hold the test on April 27 as per schedule. The NTR University of Health Sciences conducted the test and announced the results.

Dr Vikram Reddy and 31 others moved the court urging a direction to the government to defer all further actions related to PGMET held on April 27 and to call them for counselling to take admission to PG courses based on their ranking obtained in PGMET held on March 2.

They contended that the government’s decision to cancel the examination was in violation of provisions of NTR University of Health Sciences Act, 1986 and without jurisdiction.

The appellant brought to the notice of the court that Dr Ch. Sushma Reddy who got 88th rank in the test held on March 2, has got 695th rank in the results announced for re-exam held on April 27, and she would not get admission in the PG course in view of the latest rank.

They said that the university had permitted the students who were allegedly involved in leakage of question paper to appear for the fresh examination, instead of taking action on them.