Hyderabad High Court warns Telangana, Andhra Pradesh power utilities

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday made it clear to the power utilities of TS and AP that failing to constitute joint committees and determine modalities for the division of employees despite court order would amounts to contempt. A division bench comprising Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy and Justice G. Shyam Prasad was dealing with a contempt petition filed by employees and engineers working in TS power utilities seeking to punish the principal secretaries, energy, of both states. Stating that it would later decide who the contemnor is, the bench issued notices to both officials directing them submit explanations.

The bench also asked why the authorities had not implemented the order of the court and whether there was any stay from the Supreme Court.  The bench said that when there was no stay from the Supreme Court, the HC was in no way concerned with the special leave petitions pending before the apex court.  The bench said it appeared that the TS power companies were showing discrimination against the petitioners. They urged the court to punish principal secretaries Ajay Mishra (TS), Ajay Jain (AP), southern discom chairman and managing director G. Raghuma Reddy (TS) and M.M. Naik (AP).