Hyderabad High Court wants squatters removed from Toli Masjid land

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to remove illegal encroachments and structures from the land belonging to the Toli Masjid in city. A division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was disposing a PIL by Mohammed Abdur Raoof, a resident of the city, challenging inaction of the GHMC and Wakf authorities in removing the illegal encroachments.

The petitioner alleged that some influential persons had occupied the land belonging to the mosque and had raised three marriage function halls and despite several complaints, the authorities had not taken any steps to remove the structures.

The Bench asked the GHMC and Wakf authorities to look into the representations of the petitioners and conduct an enquiry. If they found any unauthorised construction or encroachments, the authorities should initiate steps to remove the same in accordance with the law, the Bench directed.

Stand on junior judge posts sought

A HC division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt on Tuesday directed the Centre and state governments of Andhra and Telangana to spell out their stand on recruitment for the posts of junior civil judges pursuant to the notification issued in the combined state of AP. The Bench was hearing a petition by Mr Sarasani Satyam Reddy, senior counsel of the High Court. Satyam Reddy submitted that earlier the High Court had granted an interim direction that allowed the court to proceed with the screening test scheduled to be held on March 8, 2015. He said that the court had directed that the answer scripts should be kept in a sealed cover and be preserved and the same should not be evaluated until further orders of the HC or the Supreme Court, whichever was earlier.

He submitted that the neither the Supreme Court nor the High Court had considered a crucial point while granting interim directions with regard to the recruitment. He said once the state was bifurcated, it was mandatory for the state governments and the Centre to take steps to divide the judiciary and then notify the vacancies in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and Section 77 of the Act.

He said without taking steps for dividing subordinate judicial officers and other employees between the two states, continuing the recruitment would tantamount to violation of the Constitution and fundamental rights of citizens of both the states. While posting the case to June 23, the Bench directed the respondent states and the Centre to file counter affidavits.

HC to give verdict on YSRC plea

The Hyderabad High Court will give its verdict on Wednesday regarding a plea by the YSR Congress Party challenging the decision of the Election Commission of India to conduct separate elections to the posts of members of the AP Legislative Council to fill two vacancies each from Krishna and Visakhapatnam local authorities’ constituencies. The petitioners brought to the notice of the HC Bench that as on March 31, 2015, there were 12 vacancies under the local authority constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.

The counsel for the petitioner said that there was scope of some contesting candidates losing if the elections to the vacancies were held separately on different dates. He pointed out that election to fill the vacancies from Krishna and Visakhapatnam local authorities constituencies would be conducted as separate elections to fill one vacancy each unlike the Guntur district where it will be held as a single election to fill both the vacancies in Guntur.

He urged the Court to direct the Election Commission of India to conduct biennial polls to all the vacancies as a single election and on the same day.

AP told to file counter affidavit

The HC on Tuesday directed the AP government to file counter affidavits in habeas corpus petitions alleging that the “Green Task Force”, dealing with red sanders smuggling in the Seshachalam forest area, had taken some persons into illegal custody. A division Bench was dealing with the petitions seeking directions to the authorities to produce those detained — D. Ravichandra, D. Ramanaiah, C. Srinivasulu and P. Siva Kumar — before the court.

The petitioners’ counsel said that Task Force had taken them in custody on June 3 on the pretext of enquiry. While adjourning the case to next Wednesday, the bench issued notices to the principal secretary to Home, DGP of AP state for filing counter affidavits on the pleas.