Telangana: School Gets HC Relief in Row on Recognition

Hyderabad: Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court directed the State Education Department and others not to interfere with the functioning of Mount Banyan Global School at DK Road, Ameerpet. The judge is dealing with a writ plea filed by Wisdom Mines Educational Society, running a school under the name of Mount Banyan Global School. The petitioner would challenge the proceedings restricting the recognition of the school for the academic year 2023-24 and also directing the management to submit a fresh extension of renewal recognition proposals. It was contended that the petitioner submitted proposals for grant of renewal recognition of classes pre-primary to VIII (E.M) for the academic years from 2023-2024 to 2032-2033 and the respondent authorities on careful examination of the report submitted by the Deputy Educational Officer and based on the recommendations of District Education officer accorded renewal recognition for the said years. It is contended by the petitioner that disputes arose between the petitioner society and the landlord of the subject property and the representative of the land owners submitted a complaint on the file of the Regional Joint Director of School Education alleging that the lease in respect of the subject expired in November 2023 and requested not to grant recognition.

Acting on the said complaint, the Regional Joint Director issued proceedings directing the petitioner to show cause why action should not be initiated for withdrawal of recognition of the school for classes Pre-Primary to VIII. Challenging the said notice a writ petition was filed wherein, the petitioner society contended that they submitted an explanation inter alia stating that the society is in possession of the property and running the school and instituted a suit against the owners of the said premises and the same is pending for adjudication. The grievance of the petitioner was that pending adjudication of the said suit, the Regional Joint Director issued proceedings at the instance of the landlord without taking into consideration of pendency of the suit, and in the event of respondents derecognizing the petitioner society, the students studying in the school and livelihood of the staff working in the school would suffer great hardship, according to the court without expressing any opinion on the inter se disputes pending between the petitioner and the landlord, directed Regional Joint Director to examine the explanation submitted by the petitioner society and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, after providing an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. The petitioner in the present petition challenged the subsequent action of restricting the recognition for the academic year 2023-24. Counsel for the petitioner would argue that without providing an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner as directed by the court in an earlier writ petition and without taking into consideration of the pendency of the suits on the very same subject property, the Regional Joint Director issued the impugned proceedings thereby restricting the recognition for the academic year 2023-24. The court after perusing the records and considering that students in the petitioner institution are currently in the middle of the courses, directed the respondents to not interfere with the functioning of the school for the current academic year 2024-2025 courses and posted the matter for further adjudication.

Verdict Reserved on PIL on Ceiling Land

A two judge panel of the Telangana High Court reserved its verdict in a Public Interest Litigation challenging inaction by state to determine the ceiling area and take over the excess lands held by unofficial respondents across state. The panel comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao was dealing with a writ petition filed by Mahesh Bodusu seeking a direction to the official respondents to conduct an enquiry under the Telangana Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973 against unofficial respondents on the ground that they are holding the excess land. The petitioner stated that entire family is having a total extend of 64 acres across various districts in state which is contrary to the provisions of the Telangana Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act and according the provisions of the Act, standard holding for class K is 54 acres whereas unofficial respondents holds 64 acres, the petitioner argued. It was stated that petitioners apprehend that unofficial respondents may have other lands in addition to the mentioned lands which can only be determined by an enquiry. Earlier, the registry of the court raised the objection stating that there is no element of public interest involved and the same was placed before the bench for orders on the entertainability of the petition as PIL. The panel after hearing the counsels at length reserved its verdict.

Notice Issued on Applicant’s Plea

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court ordered status quo in a writ plea challenging the illegal termination of a lease deed by the Executive Engineer of the Roads and Buildings Department, Lingampally Mandal, Ranga Reddy District. The judge is dealing with a writ plea filed by NAC Quippo Equipment Services Limited. The petitioner contended that the petitioner and state entered into a lease agreement whereunder the petitioner was paying a rent of Rs. 5 lakh per acre to the government to generate revenue. The petitioner alleges that on September 14, 2024, the respondent authorities took possession of the land after unilaterally rescinding the lease deed. The petitioner argued that the action of the respondent authorities is arbitrary and illegal, as no notice of termination was issued to the petitioner. The judge after hearing the petitioner, refused to grant an ex-parte order against the respondents as the possession of the land was taken by the authorities. Instead, the judge ordered notice to the National Academy of Construction, Hyderabad, and posted the matter for hearing.

Notice Issued on Applicant's Plea

Justice Pulla Karthik of Telangana High Court ordered notice to the Executive Officer of Telangana Residential Educational Institutions Recruitment Board (TREIEB) in a contempt case pertaining to appointment to the post of Junior Lecturer (Chemistry). The judge is dealing with a contempt case filed by T Ramesh alleging deliberate non-compliance with the orders passed by the judge earlier. Earlier, the judge in a writ plea preferred by the petitioner directed the respondent authority to consider the case of the petitioner for appointment to the post of Junior Lecturer (Chemistry) as per merit obtained in the examination in pursuance of a notification dated April 05, 2023. The order in writ plea was passed in light of an Expert Committee report holding that the qualification acquired by the petitioner was certified as equivalent to M.Sc. (Chemistry) and the appointment of the petitioner could be considered for the post of junior lecturer. The petitioner alleges that despite directions to appoint the petitioner, the respondent authority wantonly failed to comply and was guilty of contempt. Accordingly, the judge ordered notice and posted the matter for further adjudication.