Hyderabad High Court: IAS officer told to vacate quarters

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has ordered Special Chief Secretary to the AP government P.V. Ramesh to vacate the director general’s quarters on the premises of Dr MCR HRD Institute in Hyderabad within one month.

Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao granted the direction while dealing with a petition by the director general of the institute, seeking the court to vacate an interim order granted in a writ petition moved by Mr Ramesh questioning an order passed by the Estate Officer on June 29, 2016.

The Estate Officer had passed the order under the provisions of the AP Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1968, directing the IAS officer to vacate the quarters within 30 days.

Counsel appearing for the director general placed a copy of the letter dated July 22, 2013 addressed by Mr Ramesh to the Chief Secretary to the government, wherein he requested allotment of the subject quarters and given an undertaking that he would vacate it as and when the director general desired to occupy the quarters.

Counsel brought to the notice of the court that the subject quarter was meant for accommodation of the director general only. He said that since no regular officer was posted as director general of institute and the quarters were vacant in 2013, Mr Ramesh was allowed to occupy it on a temporary basis and as a stop-gap arrangement, after taking into account his need at that point of time.

He told the court that now a regular director general was appointed to the institute and he desired to occupy the quarters. Counsel pointed out to the court that Mr Ramesh had been provided another quarters in Kundan Bagh, Begumpet on June 14, 2016.

While vacating the stay, the judge said that since Mr Ramesh himself had undertaken to vacate it as and when required, the stay was vacated.