Quasi-Administrative Order Set Aside Again by HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court yet again set aside a quasi-administrative order for being whimsically disposed of, and for considering personal rights in an unreasonable manner. Justice S. Nanda allowed a writ petition filed by Basanna, who owns 2.29 acres in Ogipur of Tandur mandal of Vikarabad district. The petitioner was given mining rights over his land as was his neighbour. The parties were engaged in a civil dispute before the civil court. This led to the mines assistant director calling upon the petitioner to pay a seigniorage fee and a 10-time penalty for quarrying of limestone. Justice Nanda pointed out that the authorities had earlier called for a survey of the extent of land. The petitioner responded with a detailed reply to the showcause notice but the statutory revision under the state minot mineral concession rules ended in a demand for over Rs 4 crore for mining an excess quantity of 2,88,502 sq. metres. Setting aside the order, the court said that the statutory revision had been whimsically disposed of by the revisionary authority without application of mind and without recording reasons.

HC slams Tandur municipal chief for bias

Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court faulted the Tandur municipal commissioner and the civic authorities for their visible bias. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by one Sangeetha, challenging the action of Tandur municipality in preventing her from constructing an upper floor on her property in Tandur while being well within the rules. Justice Vinod Kumar observed that the commissioners must act at their own behest but not in contravention to the established powers. He observed that the municipal commissioners do not take strict action when huge buildings are constructed in prime locations. Justice Vinod Kumar likened it to listening to his master’s voice and preaching the gospel on screen and not implementing it on the ground. The matter was adjourned to November 10 for the municipality to take necessary action.

HC refuses to examine state IT policy

A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court refused to examine the state policy on information and communication technology at the instance of former employees of a tech major. The bench upheld opposition to the PIL that the petitioners were former employees of a tech company and that the PIL was tainted by private interest. The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by Amboti Sanjay Chary, and another, who said that while technology companies were the beneficiaries of state largesse, the government was a silent spectator to the hire and fire policy. The petitioners also sought a direction to create a monetary cell for supervising the policy and its implementation by IT companies.