Hyderabad High Court for online system to issue documents

Hyderabad: A division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday wondered about the fixed bribe rates in government offices and asked the Telangana government to introduce an online system for issuance of documents required by farmers and also to sanction transformers to them.

The Bench was dealing with a taken-up case based on news reports on allegations of corruption, which prevails in the revenue, treasury departments and also in Transco in Mahbubnagar district for the issuance of duplicate Pahanis, Pattadar passbooks, sanction of transformers, getting bills passed in treasuries and receiving compensation for land acquisition.

The Bench pointed out that while on one hand the government was claiming that it had been taking steps to prevent farmers’ suicides, on the other hand newspapers were stating that Rs 2,000 was the fixed bribe rate for issuance of pattadar passbooks and Rs 4,000 for sanctioning a transformer.

The Bench said that allowing such corrupt practices would lead to distress among farmers because they required several documents from the revenue authorities to avail loans for their farming activities.

While asking senior counsel Mr Sarasani Satyam Reddy to assist in the case as amicus curiae, Justice Bhosale said that introduction of an online system would put a check on the alleged corrupt practices in the departments.

Mr Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel for the government, submitted that he would take the suggestion of the court to the notice of the government. The Bench adjourned the matter after two weeks.

Petitioner gets warning on PIL

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday found fault with a petitioner for wasting the court’s time by filing frivolous litigation for his personal gains.

The bench was hearing a PIL moved by Foundation for Bright India, an NGO based at Karimnagar, represented by its president K. Sunil Rao and another seeking a probe into alleged largescale financial irregularities in the construction of the Pranahitha Cheve-lla irrigation project.

The petitioner alleged that the government had entrusted the contract to Meil-Maytas-ABB-Andritz (JV). The founder of Maytas was Mr Ramalinga Raju, former founder chairman of the now-defunct  Satyam Computers. He alleged that the government had awarded the contract to the JV with ulterior motives.

Mr A. Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel for Telangana, brought to the notice of the bench that the petitioner himself was a contractor and had tried secure a sub-contract for the project.

After failing to get the contract, he had moved the PIL. The bench cautioned him of severe consequences for wasting the court’s time to settle personal scores.

At this juncture, counsel appearing for the petitioner urged the HC to permit him to withdraw the plea and the bench allowed him.

 

 

Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.