HC not inclined to stay the GO for redeployment of VROs in other departments

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court was on Wednesday not inclined to set aside or stay the implementation of GO 121, issued on July 23, that authorised district collectors to redeploy the services of all incumbent village revenue officers (VROs) in their respective districts in any other department except revenue.

However, the court issued notices to the state government seeking its contention on the petitions filed against GO 121 within two weeks.

Justice P. Madavi Devi, while hearing petitions filed by many VROs and VRO associations challenging the implementation of GO, made it clear that it will not halt the process of redeployment of VROs, which would be subject to the eventual outcome of the writ petitions.

The petitioners wanted to know how the seniority of the petitioners would be protected consequent to the abolition of posts and redeployment.

Kovutturi Pawan Kumar, counsel for the petitioners submitted that the government had hastily issued the GO without first formulating any modalities or implementation mechanism. He sought the judge to suspend GO 121.

Meanwhile, government counsel replied that redeployment was a policy decision of the government and the VROs, being government employees, had to abide by the orders.