Naval officers seek pay parity

Hyderabad: A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court, comprising acting Chief Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice N. Rajeshwar Rao on Thursday refused to interdict the merger of administrative officers in naval services of the country panel. However, the bench ordered notice to the central government and chief of the Naval Staff in a writ petition filed by Bhavesh Kumar, a senior administrative officer, and two others of equal rank. The petitioners challenged an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which refused to merge Grade II administrative officers with Grade I officers after four years of service. The tribunal held that it was a policy decision and therefore could not be adjudicated upon. It also opined that it could have a cascading effect on other organizations like Indian Coast Guard, CCS and others.

MP cannot decide constitution of Jamia board: HC  

Justice S. Nanda of the Telangana High Court on Thursday declared that it was not for the local MP to decide the need or the constitution of the managing committee of Jamia Masjid in Mallepally. The court directed the authorities to constitute a fresh managing committee. The judge disapproved of the functioning of the present committee, as recommended by the Touliyat committee and by Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi. The judge allowed a writ petition filed by Mohd. Akif Safvan, who pointed out that the representation from 2020 seeking constitution of the committee consisting of local residents of Mallepally has been in vain. The petitioner, a local Musalli (a person who offers prayer) pointed out that after the expiry of the term of the earlier panel, a committee under Gulam Ahmed Pasha was constituted in 2018. Representations for considering residents of Mozzampura and Mallepally were made in June 2020. However, in 2021, along with the recommendation of the MP, a committee was constituted. Justice Nanda, in her judgement, pointed out that the present committee was a substantial reflection of the recommendation of the Member of Parliament, which was contrary to the relevant regulations. The court recorded a finding that the Telangana State Wakf Board ignored the relevant rules and constituted the impugned managing committee. “It cannot be the satisfaction of the MP that will decide the necessity to establish a committee and who shall be its members. The board alone has to decide and not any outside agency,” she said. The judge rejected the plea of the government that the petitioner ought to have moved the Wakf tribunal and that the writ petition is not maintainable. Justice Nanda further recorded that since the prescribed mandatory procedure was violated, the writ petition is maintainable. The judge accordingly set aside the proceedings of constituting a committee and directed that the board shall initiate steps to appoint a new committee in accordance with the law. The judge also made it clear that in the integrum the Wakf Board would take direct control of Jamia Masjid and ensure the smooth functioning of the institution “only to ensure the completion of the exercise as stipulated by this court.”  

Stop inflow of sewerage water into Vanam Cheruvu lake

A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the civic authorities to take steps to prevent inflow of sewerage water into Vanam Cheruvu lake. The bench was hearing a writ plea filed by Mallepally Lalitha, chairperson of Tellapur municipal council with a grievance pertaining to the inflow of sewerage water into the lake in Tellapur. The bench of acting Chief Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao took on file the writ petition, which brought to light the inconveniences caused to nearby colonies of Nallagandla and Tellapur villages because of the inflow of sewerage water into the lake. The respondent authorities, who included GHMC, Telangana State Pollution Control Board, and HMWSSB, submitted that work on a sewerage treatment plant had commenced last October and it is in progress. The bench disposed of the writ petition while directing the authorities, primarily not to allow the sewerage water into the local water body and to complete the sewerage treatment plant by December in its verdict.

HC reserves verdict on rowdy sheet

Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Thursday reserved a verdict in a writ petition challenging the opening of a rowdy sheet. The judge heard a writ plea filed by Mohd Abdul Qavi Obaid and another person, challenging the action of the Mir Chowk police station in opening and maintaining a rowdy sheet against them. The counsel, appearing for the petitioner, contended that there was only one FIR against the petitioner under section 302 of IPC based on which the rowdy/ suspect sheet was opened and that the petitioner was acquitted by the criminal court in the said case, and presently there were no cases pending against them. The government pleader for the home department submitted that the said rowdy/suspect sheet is still maintained against them for precautionary purposes upon which the judge opined that, in such a case a rowdy sheet shall be opened against all politicians and citizens of the country. The judge reserved the matter for orders.