HC Nod for Shobha Yatra on April 17

 Hyderabad: Justice B. Vijay Sen Reddy of the Telangana High Court permitted the Kesari Hanuman Yuva Sanghatan to carry out the Lord Rama Shobha Yatra on April 17. The judge made the order in a lunch motion moved by the petitioner Addala Karthik, president of the KHYS, challenging the Tappachabutra police order rejecting his application for permission to conduct the Shobha Yatra. The government pleader opposing the petition argued that the route proposed by the petitioner passed through very narrow lanes and bylanes and mixed population locations and may create law and order problems. Counsel for the petitioner contended that the Shobha Yatra was conducted last year as well, there was no law and order situation and was conducted in a very peaceful manner. The judge after hearing both counsels allowed the writ petitioner to hold the Shobha Yatra on the same route and directed the petitioner to conclude it before 3 pm.

HC refuses to quash notices to L&T

A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court refused to quash a dozen notices issued to Larsen & Toubro in the exercise of powers under the Standards of Weights and Measures Act. The panel comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Anil Kumar was dealing with a writ petition filed by L&T and Swamy Sons Agencies Pvt Ltd challenging the provisions of the 1976 Act and Standard of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977. The petitioners assailed the validity of the 12 notices issued by the district inspector of the legal metrology department here, with regard to the definition of ‘pre-packed commodity’ in Rule 2(1). On an earlier occasion, the Centre had contended that the 1976 Act had been repealed and a new legislation, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, had come into force with effect from April 2011. The panel dismissing the writ petition said no grounds were made out and that it was devoid of merits.

Building demolished, GHMC tells court

Justice T Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court came down heavily on municipal authorities for their negligence and dereliction in removing an illegal multi-storeyed building at Begumpet here. The judge’s reaction came in the course of hearing in a writ plea filed by Ram Manohar Agarwal, who contended that the GHMC was not taking any action to remove the illegal construction by stopping the commercial usage of the terrace of five-storeyed building. It is not out of context to point out that a division bench of the High Court in an earlier matter directed the demolition of a multi-storeyed commercial complex earmarked for a park at Begumpet junction leading to the Airlines Colony. The petitioner contended that Agrasen Constructions was deviating a sanctioned plan on the fifth floor i.e., a terrace in a building in Begumpet. The judge had earlier directed the GHMC deputy commissioner and the assistant city planner, Begumpet division, to file an action taken report. The principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development department, and the GHMC commissioner appeared virtually and informed the court that the fifth floor was illegally constructed and was demolished in accordance with the GHMC Act. The matter was disposed of based on the action taken report filed by the GHMC.