Hyderabad High Court seeks response on Wakf Board sealing

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed the TS government to explain under which provision of law had it sealed the office of the TS Wakf Board in Nampally of the city and seized the entire files and records of the Board. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili directed the state government to file an affidavit by Thursday. The bench was dealing with a PIL by M.A.K. Mukheed, an advocate of the city, contending that the state government has no power to seal the office and seize the records.

Muqeeth Qureshi, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the state government sealed the Wakf Board in violation to the Wakf Act and without considering the fact that the elected body of the Board was in existence. He said that the state government acted unilaterally. When the bench sought a response from the state government, B.V. Prasad counsel for the government, said that orders to seal the office were issued after noticing that there were irregularities. Mr Qureshi said that even though it had found irregularities, the government couldn’t seal the office, but has to order an inquiry and only after that it had the power to supersede the Board.

While directing the Registry to list the case on top, the bench adjourned the case to Thursday.

Petitioner gets time to file DPR

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday granted time to the petitioner to submit a detail project report of Kaleswaram lift irrigation scheme. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was dealing with a petition by Mr Anil Kumar challenging government’s changing the design from approach channel tunnel system to open gravity canal under the guise of redesigning and re-engineering of the project
Senior counsel B. Rachna Reddy submitted that due to change in the earlier channel tunnel system, the cost of the project escalated from Rs 1,300 crore to Rs 2,881 crore.

The bench pointed out how would possible for the court to review the technical decisions of the executive when it has not technical expertise.
Counsel replied that she had placed only the gist of the change and asked the bench to grant time to place the detailed report. The court posted the case to November 21.

Special BEd, DEd  aspirants eligible:

The TS government on Tuesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it will receive applications from the candidates of Special BEd and DEd degree and diploma holders to appear for the Teachers Recruitment Test. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was dealing with a petition by D. Bheema and 48 others, all aspirants for TRT, seeking to declare as illege the failure of the government to recognise/qualify the candidature of aspirants who possess BEd and DEd degrees in special education for direct recruitment to the posts of teachers in the government and local body schools.

J. Sridhar, counsel for the petitioners, stating that there were 25,000 candidates in the state who possess BEd and DEd in special education, urged the court to direct the state government to include their  candidature for the recruitment When the bench asked the how the government could restrain the petitioners from appearing for the test, additional advocate-general J. Ramachandra  Rao said that the special degree and diploma holders had less standards when compare with the candidates who possess general BEd and DEd degree and diploma.

Rejecting the contention of the AAG, the bench said the selected candidates have to undergo six months training and when the petitioners also had same qualification, why should they be denied the opportunity. The AAG informed the court that the government was prepared to receive the applications from the petitioners.

TTD told to find permanent solution, monitor  prices of food at Tirumala

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday told the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to work out a permanent mechanism to continuously monitor the rates of food items sold by hoteliers in Tirumala and place a report before it within two weeks. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G. Ganga Rao, while dealing with a PIL by Parihaara Sewa Samiti seeking to declare as illegal the failure of the TTD to take action against hoteliers who sell foodstuff and beverages on exorbitant prices.

The bench told the TTD to provide a toll-free number for devotees to lodge complaints against such hoteliers and publicise it widely. The bench suggested setting up of a permanent machinery to take action against errant hoteliers and stall owners. Sivaraju Srinivas, counsel for the TTD, while submitting an action taken report, informed the court that higher officials of the TTD had held a meeting on November 9 to formulate a policy on fixing of prices of food items and also tender conditions.

He submitted that there are nine major canteens in Tirumala, of which one was leased out in 2015 for three years without any conditions with regard to selling prices of food items being placed. He told the court that they have initiated action against two assistant vigilance and security officers, tahsildar and two junior assistants for failing to act against the errant stall owners.

He said that they have imposed penalty on 9 hotels and directed them to pay the fine by Nov 13 and if they failed to pay the fine the TTD will take possession of the hotels and canteens. He informed the court that the Janata canteens at Tirumala, that were closed for failing to make profits, were taken over by the TTD and they displayed price boards. When C. Nageswara Rao, senior counsel appearing for the hoteliers, said that none of the devotees have complained against the hoteliers, and the only people who did so were contractors who failed to bag the licences to run canteens and hotels, the bench told him not to try to project that the hoteliers were sincere. The ACJ said that he hails from Chittoor district and was very much aware what is happening at Tirumala.