TS HC adjourns plea against freebies

Hyderabad: A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court ruled that there was no urgency to immediately adjudicate the arguable issue of freebies in election manifestos. The bench of Justice P. Sam Koshy and Justice N. Tukaram Ji, which is hearing PIL matters in addition to its regular cases, directed the said PIL to be listed before the appropriate bench in due course. Hyderabad Parirakshana Samithi filed the PIL in question for a declaration that promises of irrational freebies from public funds at the cusp of elections “unduly influences voters, disturbs the level-playing field, shakes roots of free and fair election and vitiates the purity of election process”. The petitioner also sought a direction that such goods and services not be distributed from public funds and a declaration that such promises was analogous to bribery and undue influence. The petitioner also wanted a direction from the Election Commission requiring it to insert “an additional condition” in the elections symbols orders that political parties shall not promise to distribute irrational freebies from the public funds. The bench pointed out that since the election to the state Assembly has been completed there was no urgency to adjudicate the matter and accordingly posted the matter before the regular bench.

 

HC refuses vehicle’s release for excise offence

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court refused to release a vehicle confiscated for alleged violation of the state excise law. The judge refused an interim order to release the vehicle. The judge was dealing with a writ plea Sudarshan Laxman Sanap. It is pointed out that after the vehicle was confiscated and put to auction there were no bidders and therefore the petitioner was willing to take back his confiscated vehicle. The excise authorities would, however, point out that the vehicle was carrying over 2000 expensive liquor bottles and unless the seized consignment is not put to sale the question for considering the vehicle for sale does not arise. The judge accordingly adjourned the matter.

 

LLM candidate's admission on hold before HC

Justice S. Nanda of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday examined the alleged irrational eligibility criteria of Osmania University for admission into LLM course. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by Dyagala Sai Pavan, who complained that the university had refused to consider him as a local candidate for admission into the two-year LLM course. He contended that he is eligible to be a local candidate as he has pursued his entire education from nursery to B. Tech (engineering) in Telangana. He complained that he was denied the local candidate eligibility as he had done his three-year LLB course from IIT Kharagpur. The judge, however, adjourned the matter to December 8 for the varsity authorities to seek instructions.

 

HC refuses writ against Kukatpally SHO  

Justice Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court refused to direct the station house officer (SHO), Kukatpally for his alleged inaction in considering a complaint. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by Tankala Divya, alias Dhana Lakshmi, who alleged that the SHO had acted as per his whims and fancies and relied only on select contents of the petitioner's complaint and not the entire complaint. She contended that the complaint attracts many other penal provisions of IPC, in addition to 498A and Sec 3 and 4 of the DP Act, which were not charged. Counsel for the petitioner stated that despite several oral requests, no action was forthcoming. He argued that such action of authorities was illegal and arbitrary. Justice Bhaskar Reddy dismissing the plea said that an appropriate application should have been filed before the appropriate forum instead of rushing to the writ jurisdiction.