Governor’s Quota MLC Appointments: HC To Give Ruling Tomorrow

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court said it would decide on Wednesday the plea against the Governor's decision rejecting the recommendations of the BRS government for appointing Dr. Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana as MLCs in the Governor quota,

The court asked counsels representing the petitioners and respondents to conclude their arguments on Wednesday.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar, was hearing the petitions filed by Dr. Sravan and Satyanarayana, who also filed interim applications challenging the Governor’s decision to appoint Prof. M. Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan as MLCs under the same quota when their petitions were pending before the court.

Senior counsel Avinash Desai, representing Prof. Kodandaram and Amer Khan, concluded their arguments on Monday. Desai argued that the Governor has discretionary authority on assenting or reject the recommendations forwarded by the Council of Ministers in regard to appointing the MLCs or any other posts.

Senior counsel said that there were instances in other states, whereby persons with criminal backgrounds were recommended and the Governor had returned them. Further, he cited judgments where the courts upheld the discretionary powers of the governor.

The bench pointed out that in that case, the Governor had returned the recommendations seeking clarifications. In the instant case, the Governor had returned the recommendations without seeking any clarification.

Replying to this, senior counsel Desai said that the government had an opportunity to send other names or send the same names for reconsideration with full details. But, the previous government had not done so.

As the arguments from the government, the Governor’s secretary, and newly-nominated MLCs were completed, the court, on a request from the petitioner’s counsel, adjourned the hearing to Wednesday to submit their reply arguments.