PIL filed against Loan Waiver by former TD MLA

By S A Ishaqui

Full bench to resolve judges jurisdiction

By S A Ishaqui

Tech Mahindra moves Hyderabad High Court, challenges Satyam megistrate’s competence

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 27: Tech Mahindra Ltd on Thursday moved the Hyderabad High Court challenging the competence and jurisdiction of the 21st additional chief metropolitan magistrate court in trying the case of Satyam Computers scam under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.

The company contended that the 21st additional chief metropolitan magistrate court is not session’s court and the judicial officer who is heading the court is in the rank of assistant session’s judge cadre and he is not competent to try the case as per Section 43 of the Act.

The company challenged a GO issued by the state government. The Centre and the state government has notified the court as competent in view of the direction of the Supreme Court in Satyam Computers scam case that the case has to be tried by the existing court till completion of the trial and the present judge also not be transferred till then.

When the plea came up for hearing before Justice P. Naveen Rao, he pointed out that the petitioners have challenged a non legislative order and as per the roaster his court has no jurisdiction to deal with non–legislative orders. The petitioner company urged the judge to adjourn the matter for Friday.

Opening of wine shops stayed in Khammam district

By S A Ishaqui

Decision on Auto Nagar Surya today

By S A Ishaqui

Notice before demolition must: High Court

By S A Ishaqui 

Hyderabad, June 25: Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the Hyderabad HC on Tuesday directed the GHMC authorities to issue notices to the owners before demolishing alleged illegal structures in Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust land at Madhapur.

The judge was dealing lunch motions filed by several property owners who were worried that their properties in the Ayyappa Society too may be demolished. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the GHMC authorities took up a massive demolition drive without prior notice.

However, the counsel for the GHMC said that the authorities are only taking steps against unauthorised structures, and they have not touched the structures of the petitioners. The judge directed GHMC to follow the due procedure before taking up the demolition.

Meanwhile, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the High Court is not inclined to take up the issues suo moto. The GHMC authorities started demolishing the structures on Tuesday after a review meeting by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday regarding protection of the Gurukul Trust lands.

P.V. Krishnaiah, a practising advocate of the High Court, urged the Chief Justice to take up the case suo motto. The CJ, expressing his disinclination to take up the matter suo motto, told the advocate if he files the petition then he will examine the matter.

Notice before demolition must: High Court

Hyderabad, June 25: Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the Hyderabad HC on Tuesday directed the GHMC authorities to issue notices to the owners before demolishing alleged illegal structures in Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust land at Madhapur.

The judge was dealing lunch motions filed by several property owners who were worried that their properties in the Ayyappa Society too may be demolished. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the GHMC authorities took up a massive demolition drive without prior notice.

However, the counsel for the GHMC said that the authorities are only taking steps against unauthorised structures, and they have not touched the structures of the petitioners. The judge directed GHMC to follow the due procedure before taking up the demolition.

Meanwhile, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the High Court is not inclined to take up the issues suo moto. The GHMC authorities started demolishing the structures on Tuesday after a review meeting by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday regarding protection of the Gurukul Trust lands.

P.V. Krishnaiah, a practising advocate of the High Court, urged the Chief Justice to take up the case suo motto. The CJ, expressing his disinclination to take up the matter suo motto, told the advocate if he files the petition then he will examine the matter.

Power firm directed to consider staff plea

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 24: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL), formerly the Central Power Distribution Company Limited, to consider the plea of its employees to exercise their options in statutory terms and eventually the authorities shall consider their cases at the time of permanent allotment, without reference to their provisional allotment.

While disposing off a petition by the TGSPDCL employees, Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu made it clear that for the purpose of transition, if any employee was assigned any task provisionally either by way of transfer or deputation or in whatever other manner, it shall not be to his or her prejudice at the time of final allocation of the work force.

The petitioners challenged an order issued on May 31, 2014, provisionally allotting their services to the Southern Power Distribution Company of AP contending that their allocation was illegal and arbitrary, apart from being violative of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014.

G. Vidyasgar Rao, senior counsel for the petitioners, argued that according to Section 77 of the Act, on and from the Appointed Date the employees working in the posts situated within the territorial state of Telangana including those working in the state public sector corporation, shall continue to serve provisionally within the territorial limits of the said state.

He said that so far no guidelines have been issu-ed in terms of Section 82 of the Act to effect any allocation. The counsel for the respondent company said, in view of the bifurcation of the APCPDCL, owing territorial compulsions in the wake of the division of the erstwhile unified state, it was incumbent on the government to relocate some of the staff working in the corporate offices falling within the territory of the new state, for half of the company gets merged with another entity.

The judge observed: “The division of a state, or in other words, birth of a state, is neither a routine nor a mundane matter of the state affairs. Demar-cation of a territory may be straight forward, but the division of administrative machinery is rather complex.”

High Court bench dismisses PIL filed against Hyderabad Cricket Association, fines petitioner

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad,June 24: A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the AP High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association. The Bench also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on the petitioner towards costs.

M. Mahesh Yadav, social activist of Medak district, had moved the plea alleging that the HCA had violated the rules and regulations while deciding the accounts, resulting in huge loss to public money.

He brought to the notice of the court that an inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau also revealed several irregularities in purchase of various equipment, land and award of contracts. The petitioner said he had represented the authorities seeking action against persons responsible for the irregularities, but no action was taken on his representations till date. He urged the court to set up an independent committee to look into the affairs of the HCA.

The Bench recalled that the High Court had earlier passed an order holding that the office bearers of the HCA do not fall under the purview of public servants, hence the prevention of Corruption Act cannot be invoked against them. The Bench directed the petitioner to pay costs for wasting the Court’s time.

HC questions cops for inaction on Red Sanders smuggler

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 21: Justice B. Siva Sankara Rao of the Hyderabad High Court on Friday found fault with the Kurnool police for its failure to declare alleged red sanders smuggler Kollam Gangi Reddy a proclaimed offender.

The judge was dealing with a plea by the Kurnool district police seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Gangi Reddy in a red sanders smuggling case. Gangi Reddy also happens to be an accused in the criminal assault on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at Alipiri in 2003.

The counsel for the public prosecutor informed the court that after obtaining bail from the High Court on May 15, 2014, the accused is believed to have fled to Dubai on May 18. The notice of bail cancellation was served to his wife.

In response, the judge demanded to know why the police had failed to initiate steps to declare the accused as a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code when they had information about the absconding accused.

The judge posted the next hearing to July 7 after the counsel sought time.

High Court seeks clarity on jurisdiction over Andhra Pradesh

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 21: Certain provisions of the AP Reorganisation Bill, 2014, have left the judges of the Hyderabad High Court in a dilemma while dealing with cases pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.

Justice L. Narasimha Reddy on Friday asked the Union of India, ministry of law and ministry of home to clarify whether the existing judges of the common High Court had power to deal with cases pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.

While dealing with a contempt case, the judge pointed out that Section 30 of the AP Reorganisation Act directed that on and from the Appointed Day, which is notified by the President of India on June 2, the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad would be the common High Court for both the states till a separate High Court for the state of AP was formed under Article 214 of the Constitution read with Section 31 of the Act.

The judge said that prima facie, Parliament had decided to constitute a separate High Court for AP through Sections 31 and 32 of the Act. The seat of the High Court for the state of AP was left to be notified under Section 31 and the allocation of judges for functioning in the High Court of AP from the date determined by the President of India was to be done under Section 32 of the Act.

HC questions cops for inaction on Red Sanders smuggler

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 21: Justice B. Siva Sankara Rao of the Hyderabad High Court on Friday found fault with the Kurnool police for its failure to declare alleged red sanders smuggler Kollam Gangi Reddy a proclaimed offender.

The judge was dealing with a plea by the Kurnool district police seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Gangi Reddy in a red sanders smuggling case. Gangi Reddy also happens to be an accused in the criminal assault on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at Alipiri in 2003.

The counsel for the public prosecutor informed the court that after obtaining bail from the High Court on May 15, 2014, the accused is believed to have fled to Dubai on May 18. The notice of bail cancellation was served to his wife.

In response, the judge demanded to know why the police had failed to initiate steps to declare the accused as a proclaimed offender under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code when they had information about the absconding accused.

The judge posted the next hearing to July 7 after the counsel sought time.

Swamy Goud plea dismissed by Hyderabad High Court

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 20: Justice A. Rajasekhar Reddy of Hyderabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition by former president of Telangana Non Gazetted Officers Association and MLC K. Swamy Goud and another seeking to declare the enquiry by the District Cooperative Officer, Hyderabad against them as illegal.

The District Cooperative Officer has conducted an enquiry into alleged gross violations in allotment of house sites and misappropriation of funds by the Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers’ Mutually Aided Cooperative Society headed by Mr Swamy Goud. The DCO has submitted the report to the district joint collector.

Aggrieved by the enquiry, Mr Swamy Goud moved the court contending that the secretary to Cooperation department has no jurisdiction to order an inquiry under the provisions of AP Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies Act, 1995 and the enquiry initiated contrary to the provisions of Section 29 of the Act.

The petitioners also contended that the enquiry, which was initiated has to be completed within a period of 120 days but it has taken more than 180 days and therefore enquiry has been lapsed and the report submitted by the officer becomes null and void.

After hearing the arguments and verifying the facts of the case, the judge refuted the contentions of the petitioner that non application of mind by the enquiry officer to the provisions of the Act.

The judge pointed out that the petitioners waited till completion of the enquiry and then moved the court and before moving the court they also moved the Cooperative Tribunal against the enquiry.

While expressing his disinclinations to entertain the petition, the judge observed that the petitioners can agitate their grievances before the Tribunal.
and the Tribunal can decide the matter without any prejudice to  the observation made by the High Court.

The pleadings in the writ petitions and also in the application moved before the tribunal is identical and similar.
The judge made it clear that as the petitioners already invoked alternative remedy before the Tribunal it was not open for them to move the High court on same grounds.

High Court quashes complaint against ex-Andhra Bank officials

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 19: Justice S. Ravi Kumar of the Hyderabad High Court has quashed a criminal complaint lodged against a former general manager and an assistant general manager of Andhra Bank under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The judge was allowing a petition by former general manager of Andhra Bank S.R.K. Prasad and assistant general manager Sri Bose seeking to quash the proceedings pending before the additional metropolitan magistrate court initiated by B. Abraham Lincoln, a former employee of Andhra Bank alleging that the officials have abused him in the name of his caste.

Dr K. Lakshmi Narasimha, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the complainant had filed false complaint against the petitioners after his dismissal from the service.

Dr Narasimha said that the complainant bore grudge against the petitioners as they represented to the National Commission of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that an inquiry by the vigilance department was pending.

After perusing the facts, the judge held that no case was made out against the petitioners.

Charges against Ratna Prabha quashed by High Court

Hyderabad, June 19: The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday granted relief to beleaguered IAS officer Ratna Prabha by quashing the charges framed against her by the Central Bureau of Investigation in YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s illegal investments case.

The CBI had charged Ms Ratna Prabha of allegedly extending undue favours to Indu Tech Pvt Ltd while allotting land in the capacity of secretary to the Information Technology and Communication department. The Bureau had charged her under Sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC.

The special CBI Court had taken cognizance of the chargesheet and had shown Ms Ratna Prabha as accused No. 9 in the illegal investments case, passing an order to that effect on October 10, 2013.

Following this, Ms Ratna Prabha had moved the High Court, seeking to quash the criminal proceedings against her, contending that she had discharged her duties after duly following the instructions of the government under Article 311 of the Constitution and also the Business Rules and the Secretariat Instructions.

Allowing the plea, Justice V. Suri Appa Rao ruled that the allegations against the petitioner were baseless and that there was no prima facie case made against her.

The judge found that the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation had forwarded the applications for the process only after it had been satisfied with the norms. He noted that three IT companies, including Indu Tech Zone Pvt Ltd, had submitted their applications to set up IT companies and the CBI too, in its affidavit, had admitted that the APIIC was the nodal agency for allotment of land and fixation land value.

The judge pointed out that the signatures of the chief secretary were very much available on the note file and in fact the petitioner had forwarded the note file before the Cabinet after incorporating the notes of the Finance department.

The judge said that the petitioner could not be found at fault as it was the duty of the government either to approve or disapprove of a decision placed before it in due process.

After perusing the records and material placed before him, the judge held that no ingredients had been made out under Sections 120 (B), 409 and 420 of the IPC against the petitioner, therefore there was no reason as to why the petitioner must be made to undergo mental agony of a criminal trial.

Hyderabad High Court refuses to pass order against Centre

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad,June 17: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday disinclined to pass any order on a PIL seeking a direction to declare the action of the Union of India as illegal in not engaging the defense forces, particularly the naval force for recovery of the 24 dead bodies of engineering students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, who lost their lives due to sudden release of water from Larji Dam in Himachal Pradesh.

P.V. Krishnaiah a practicing advocate of the High Court moved the PIL contending that the action of the Centre in not engaging defense forces as arbitrary, illegal and violating Article 14, and 21 of the Constitution apart from public and national interest.

The counsel representing the Centre submitted that the Centre has already deployed the Army personnel including the naval forces for recovery of bodies of students and so far eight bodies were recovered and the massive search operation have been going on.

Reacting to submissions of the Centre, the bench pointed out that it is the duty and responsibility of the Centre and the local state government to act in accordance with the circumstances that warranted for the deployment of the forces and personnel to carry out the search operations and the court cannot intervene into it.

Officials asked to reveal status on school timings

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 17: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to inform the status on implementation of two orders passed by it with regard to school timings and also implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was dealing with a PIL by K. Gurumurthy, an advocate of Nellore district, and A. Vijaya Mohan Reddy, president of Forum for Better Vikrama Simhapuri seeking to direct the authorities for effective implementation of the RTE Act and to take steps to prevent corporal punishments being given to children in schools and for regulating school timings and weight of the school bags.

Mr Gurumurthy submitted that the High Court in December 2013 passed an order by directing the state  government to take steps within three months for implementation of the RTE Act by using its own funds without waiting for the grant in aid from the Centre. Similarly in September 2013, the High Court also granted an order by directing the all the district educational officers of the state to strictly adhere to the school timings proposed by the directorate of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), he added.

He submitted that the authorities have failed in implementing both orders of the court.

The bench directed the counsel for the education department to furnish the derails of the implementation of court orders within a week.

Hyderabad High Court refuses to pass order against Centre

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 17 : The Hyderabad High Court on Monday disinclined to pass any order on a PIL seeking a direction to declare the action of the Union of India as illegal in not engaging the defense forces, particularly the naval force for recovery of the 24 dead bodies of engineering students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, who lost their lives due to sudden release of water from Larji Dam in Himachal Pradesh.

P.V. Krishnaiah a practicing advocate of the High Court moved the PIL contending that the action of the Centre in not engaging defense forces as arbitrary, illegal and violating Article 14, and 21 of the Constitution apart from public and national interest.

The counsel representing the Centre submitted that the Centre has already deployed the Army personnel including the naval forces for recovery of bodies of students and so far eight bodies were recovered and the massive search operation have been going on.

Reacting to submissions of the Centre, the bench pointed out that it is the duty and responsibility of the Centre and the local state government to act in accordance with the circumstances that warranted for the deployment of the forces and personnel to carry out the search operations and the court cannot intervene into it.

Officials asked to reveal status on school timings

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 17: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to inform the status on implementation of two orders passed by it with regard to school timings and also implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was dealing with a PIL by K. Gurumurthy, an advocate of Nellore district, and A. Vijaya Mohan Reddy, president of Forum for Better Vikrama Simhapuri seeking to direct the authorities for effective implementation of the RTE Act and to take steps to prevent corporal punishments being given to children in schools and for regulating school timings and weight of the school bags.

Mr Gurumurthy submitted that the High Court in December 2013 passed an order by directing the state  government to take steps within three months for implementation of the RTE Act by using its own funds without waiting for the grant in aid from the Centre. Similarly in September 2013, the High Court also granted an order by directing the all the district educational officers of the state to strictly adhere to the school timings proposed by the directorate of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), he added.

He submitted that the authorities have failed in implementing both orders of the court.

The bench directed the counsel for the education department to furnish the derails of the implementation of court orders within a week.

PIL against corporal punishment

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 15: A public interest litigation has been filed in Hyderabad High Court seeking to declare the inaction and failure of the authorities in preventing corporal punishments in schools, abnormal school timings and heavy weight of the school bags.

K. Gurumurthy, advocate of Nellore district and A. Vijaya Mohan Reddy, president of Forum for Better Vikrama Simhapuri, moved the court alleging that the authorities have failed to implement Section 17 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The petitioners said that relevant provision emphasises on conducting awareness camps in all schools and educating children to make complaints in case of physical punishments in school. They urged the court to direct the authorities for effective implementation of the RTE Act and to take steps to prevent corporal punishments in schools, regulating school timings and weight of the school bags.

Citing an order of the High Court, in which the court had directed the authorities to ensure the timings of private schools, they urged to declare the negligence of authorities in not visiting the private schools to see whether they are functioning as per the court orders or not.

They contended that the RTE Act mandates 25 percent reservations in admissions and fee reimbursement to all the eligible children in private schools. They urged the court to frame guidelines for regulating the weight of school bags of children and direct authorities to ensure that the students do not carry the school bags having weight more than 1/4 of their body weight while entering and leaving the school.

Mr Gurumurthy, talking to this newspaper said that being a practising advocate he had come across several instances in which children, particularly from middle income groups are facing hardships in getting admissions in private schools. Several incidents of corporal punishments in newspapers have compelled him to file the PIL. He said that several non-governmental organisations have decided to join hands with them to fight against corporal punishments and exorbitant fees of the private schools.

Hyderabad High Court can reduce interest rates in commercial loans

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 13: The Hyderabad High Court held that the courts have power to reduce rate of interest agreed between parties in commercial loans.
A division bench comprising Justice Ashutosh Mohunta and Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy was dismissing a plea by the Indian Bank.

The bank approached the High Court challenging an order passed by the Debt Recovery Tribunal reducing the rate of interest in favour of M/s. Eskaycee Infosys of Visakhapatnam and eight others.

The bank said it approached the DRT against Eskaycee Infosys claiming Rs 92,07,275 being the debt amount together with subsequent interest at 15.75 per cent on the amount of Rs 70,10,809 due under the Secured Over Draft (SOD) loan account and also compound interest at 16.25 per cent per annum on Rs 21,96,387 due under the Medium Term Loan (MTL) loan account with quarterly rests from the date of the realisation of its plea.

Eskaycee and others contended that they have paid Rs 1,01,02,661 after the bank filed the petition before the DRT and they had even come forward to clear the entire claim pleading concession in the rate of interest and to fix it at 10 per cent instead of 16.5 per cent compounded quarterly.

After hearing the case, the DRT concluded that “it is seen that the case was filed in 2003 and proceedings have been going on for the past 8 years. This fact coupled with the pathetic position of the appellants and the powers vested with this tribunal drive it to award interest at 10 per cent simple from the date of filing the plea by the bank date of realization along with costs.”

After hearing the arguments, citing the judgments of Apex Court in Punjab and Sind Bank versus Allied Beverages Company Pvt Ltd and others case, the bench said award of interest pending of litigation and post-decree was discretionary with the court as it was essentially governed by Section 34 Civil Procedure Code PC dehors the contract between the parties.

The bench citied that “in a given case if the court finds that in the principal sum adjudged on the date of the suit the component of interest is disproportionate with the principal sum actually advanced the court may exercise its discretion in awarding interest pending litigation and post-decree interest at a lower rate or may even decline awarding such interest.”

No extortion in Ramammakunta case: Police

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 12: The Cyberabad police on Wednesday submitted before the Hyderabad High Court that no person or persons is/are extorting money in the name of mafia from the builders carrying out constructions at the Ramammakunta lake for the AP Tourism Development Corporation and National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was closing a PIL by the human rights and consumer protection cell, a trust represented by its chairman Thakur Rajkumar Singh, seeking CID probe into alleged illegal alienation of government land in favour of the APTDC and the NITHM for construction of a star hotel and other infrastructure facilities.

Earlier, the bench had sought a report from the district judge on Ramammakunta row. The district judge in his report suspected the alleged role of the land mafia behind the petition, to extort money from contractors. Based on the report, the bench directed the Cyberabad police to find out the facts.

Madhapur deputy police commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata in his report clarified that the director of NITHM had only made an informal mention of the word “mafia” during the enquiry by the district judge. In fact the director was not aware of any person indulging in extortion of money from the builders in the area in the name of mafia, the report said.

The DCP further said that the other witnesses of the area also stated that they have not come across any person extorting money from them and there was nothing to suggest that either the petitioner of PIL or any other person related have filed this PIL for personal gain.

The High Court bench said that  there was no need to issue any further orders in the case.

Plea in high court to speed up rescue opserations in Himachal Pradesh

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 12: A PIL was filed in the Hyderabad HC on Wednesday seeking a direction to declare the Union government’s decision not to engage the defense forces, particularly the Navy, for recovering the bodies of the 24 engineering students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad who lost their lives due to the sudden release of water from the Larji Dam in HP as illegal.

P.V. Krishnaiah a practicing advocate of the High Court moved the PIL contending that the action of the Centre was arbitrary, illegal and violates Article 14, and 21 of the Constitution.

He urged the court to direct the Centre to call in the Navy to recover the bodies and also to direct the Centre to formulate a policy on utilising the services of the military whenever such contingencies arose.

The advocate made an attempt in the morning by making a mention before the Chief Justice to take up the matter for hearing, but the Chief Justice declined his request and asked him to file the petition as usual.

Chief Secretary to find officers behind compensation payment delay

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 7: The Hyderabad High Court has ordered the CS to conduct an enquiry and identify the officers responsible for not paying compensation to a woman even after a decade.

The panchayat raj department had acquired 51 cents of land belonging to Sokra Begum, a resident Bhanumukkala village in Kurnool, for constructing a road in 2003. She moved the court after the authorities failed to pay her compensation.

After the court order, the panchayat raj department passed an order fixing Rs 4,92,700 as compensation. When Sokra Begum still failed to receive the compensation, she moved the HC. The panchayat raj authorities said the revenue officials had not furnished the details of the account in which the amount was to be credited. 

The revenue officials, however, said the enquiry is yet to be completed. The judge demanded to know how the panchayat raj authorities arrived at a figure of compensation without conducting the enquiry.

He then directed Chief Secretary I.V.R. Krishna Rao to conduct an enquiry and file a report before next Friday.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad high court on Friday directed the counsel for panchayat raj department to inform it of the government stand on a plea seeking to revise the reservations to the posts of Zilla Praja Parishad chairman and Mandal Praja Parishad president in Khammam by taking into consideration the 10 districts of Telangana state as a unit.

Justice Ramesh Ranganathan was dealing with the petition by ZPTC member B. Vijaygandhi and MPTC member K. Rosi Reddy of Burgampahad mandal, who were seeking a stay of elections to the posts of ZPP chairman and MPP president till the government rework the reservations.

MeanwhilAn NGO has moved the HC seeking directions to the Telangana government to implement a ban on begging and to set up a committee to protect the constitutional and human rights of the beggars.