Verdict on graft memo today

Hyderabad: A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the AP High Court on Monday asked if the elected representatives have immunity under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The bench was dealing with two PILs by O.M. Debara and P.V. Krishnaiah against the liquor syndicates scam. Mr Debara urged the court to monitor the investigation of the Anti Corruption Bureau into bribes received by public servants and others from liquor syndicates in the state. Meanwhile, Mr Krishnaiah requested the court to direct the CBI to probe into the scam. Gandra Mohan Rao, the counsel for Mr Debara, told the court that in 1999, the state had issued a memo to constitute an advisory committee to review the complaints against the elected representatives under the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the memo, the ACB is allowed to conduct a preliminary probe whenever it receives complaint against public representatives and the preliminary report is to be placed before the advisory committee. The ACB has to proceed on such complaints based on the advice of the committee. The counsel said that till date, the government has not constituted any committee. He said that there were allegations against several politicians of accepting bribes from liquor syndicates. He said the ACB has overlooked these allegations.

Justice Sengupta asked if the public representatives were provided immunity under the Act. When, the petitioner’s counsel replied in negative, the bench sought the response from the counsel for the government. The government pleader urged the court to grant it some time for instructions. The bench refused and said it will pronounce its decision on the memo on Tuesday. Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the AP High Court on Monday suspended a GO appointing an executive officer to Srikalahastheeswara Swamy temple in Chittoor district. The judge as dealing with a petition by Kola Anand Kumar, former chairman of the temple, seeking suspension of the GO issued on February 19, 2014, by appointing Y. Ramachandra Reddy as the EO of the temple. He contended that the official is an officer of the revenue department and was not qualified and eligible to be appointed as EO.

A division bench of the AP High Court on Monday directed the commissioner of GHMC and the city police to take steps to remove all unauthorised hoardings erected in various places of the city in a week. The bench was dealing with a PIL by the Trust for Social Justice, a charitable institution of the city, seeking to impose ban on usage of hazardous flex boards in the state . The High Court on Monday dismissed a batch of writ petitions questioning the imposition of fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA), while upholding the provisions of the Electricity Reforms Act which empowers the Regulatory commission to fix the electricity rate. Justice Nooty Ram Mohan Rao on Monday granted respite to the M/s. Lepakshi Knowledge Hub by directing that industrial activity at the knowledge park may go on. The judge was admitting a petition by the company challenging the action of the state government in cancelling of the Memorandum of Understanding.

The High Court on Monday also issued notices to the state government directing it to explain the reasons for not acting on the recommendations of the vigilance and enforcement department in alleged irregularities in granting permission for Kothaguda eco-tourism project in Ranga Reddy district. notice on green tourism project
Hearing another PIL filed by CJ Karira and G Bhargavi, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday issued notices to the state government directing it to explain the reasons for not acting on the recommendations of the vigilance and enforcement department in alleged irregularities in granting permission for Kothaguda eco-tourism project in Ranga Reddy district.