Telangana: Plea by Student to Treat Him as Local for Lawcet

Hyderabad: Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court took on file a writ plea seeking direction to the convener of Telangana Lawcet and PGLCET, Osmania University, for classifying a student as a local candidate in Lawcet. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by Polakatla Babu Jagjeevan, born and raised in Telangana. The petitioner stated that he qualified as a local candidate since his parents were permanent residents of Telangana, and he had completed his education from entire schooling and Intermediate in the state. However, the petitioner stated that he pursued a four-year Bachelor's degree in BSc (Hons) agriculture at Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, through the All India Entrance Examination conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Counsel for the petitioner argued that while the petitioner did not meet the criterion of studying for seven consecutive years in Telangana, he should still be considered as a local candidate under the government order mentioned in the prospectus provided by the university. The counsel urged the court to direct the respondent authorities to treat the candidature of the petitioner as local for admission into the three-year LLB programme. The judge directed the respondents to seek instructions and posted the matter for further hearing.

Social Welfare Secretary Gets Notice in Contempt Case

Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court ordered notice to the secretary of Telangana social welfare department in a contempt case pertaining to regularisation of service of a contract employee. The judge was hearing a contempt case filed by an attender under contract working with the respondent department. The petitioner alleged non-compliance by the respondent of the earlier orders passed by the judge in a writ plea. The judge earlier directed the respondent to consider regularisation of services of the petitioner as per the terms of GO dated February 26, 2016, within a period of three months from the date of the order.

The petitioner alleged that the respondent had deliberately failed to comply with the earlier directions of the judge. After hearing the petitioner, the ju1dge ordered notice to respondent and posted the matter to after four weeks for further adjudication.

HC Hears Plea that Accuses Auction of Gold Jewellery as Illegal

Justice C.V. Bhasker Reddy of the Telangana High Court heard a writ petition filed by one M. Krishna Rao, challenging the auction of gold jewellery without following the prescribed procedure. Though the judge pointed out that it was not for the court to interfere with the auction process it would carve out an indulgence exception. The petitioner argued that the gold, which held significant personal value, was secured against a loan that was only intended for a one-year term. Additionally, he claimed that the bank failed to provide the mandatory 15-day notice prior to the auction. In his plea, the petitioner expressed his willingness to deposit 25 per cent of the outstanding amount, including interest. The judge pointed out that repaying the loan was not an act of charity, nor was the bank's action a favour to the petitioner. While the court acknowledged that it lacked jurisdiction to interfere directly with the auction process, it granted the petitioner temporary relief. The petitioner's advocate argued that the bank did not disclose the total quantity of gold to be auctioned, which added to the contention. The court granted the petitioner additional time to arrange the funds and adjourned the matter to September 12.

Retired Forest Officer Seeks Payment of Pension

Justice Pulla Karthik of the Telangana High Court ordered notice to the principal secretary of the environment, forests science and technology department, principal chief conservator of forests, and Accountant General (A&E), in a contempt case relating to non-payment of provisional pension. The judge was hearing a contempt case filed by K. Rajendra Prasad, a 72-year-old ex-divisional forest officer, wildlife division Paloncha. The petitioner alleged that the respondent authorities wantonly failed to comply with the interim order passed by the judge in an earlier writ plea. Earlier the judge had directed the respondents to sanction provisional pension to the petitioner in terms of GO dated June 22, 2000. The petitioner alleged non-compliance of the said interim order. Accordingly, the judge ordered notice to the respondents and posted the matter after four weeks for further adjudication.