No new pleas on 123: Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: While making it clear that it has safeguarded the interests of land owners who have approached it so far with regard to land procurement for Mallanna Sagar Irrigation project in Medak district under GO Ms No 123, the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday said that until the matter is heard the court would not be in a position to pass an interim order on fresh petitions moved in this regard.

A two-judge bench — comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice U. Durga Prasad Rao  — was responding to allegations made by the counsels appearing for the petitioner questioning the legality of GO Ms 123. The advocates submitted that though the government repeatedly said that their action under 123 was meant for only those farmers who come forward voluntarily to sell away their plots, there is nothing voluntary about it; there is more coercion in the process.

They alleged that the authorities are indulging in coercive methods to procure land and also threatening the land owners of dire consequences if they don’t to sell their lands. Telangana advocate-general K. Rama-krishna Reddy told the bench that they are not taking land from those who are not willing to part with their land. Justice Ramesh Ranganathan said that at this stage it was a case of allegations and counter allegations and until the matter is heard the court would not be in a position to pass an interim order.

The bench adjourned the case to September 13 at the request of the advocate-general. Elsewhere Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao directed the Telangana police to file a counter-affidavit in a case filed challenging the imposition of prohibitory orders in Mallanna Sagar project affected area of Medak district. Y. Santosh Reddy and five others of residents of Vemulaghat village moved the plea contending that for over 40 days Section 144 of CrPC has been in force in their village and their freedom to move is curtailed.