HYDERABAD: A division bench of the High Court on Tuesday directed the Telangana government not to make any further appointments to the posts of additional public prosecutors to 13 courts in Rangareddy district. It also suspended all the panels which have been sent to the state government for the said posts. The bench, comprising ACJ Ramesh Ranganathan and justice J Uma Devi, passed interim order on petitions which challenged the appointment of additional public prosecutors to 13 courts in Rangareddy district. On an earlier occasion, the bench called for the entire records pertaining to the said appointments. It was told that the panels of names sent to the government lacked transparency and rules were not adhered to during the selection. No lawyer from ST community was found on the panel.
On Tuesday, the bench, after hearing the case and perusing the records, expressed its displeasure as the records failed to have some important information. It pointed out that no lawyer from minorities was on the panel. It asked the government’s counsel to tell as to why not a single lawyer hailing from minority community was taken on the panel. Merely informing the Bar about the selection was not enough and wide publicity ought to have been given prior to the selection, the bench remarked.
Government pleader for home department Venugopal submitted that there might be some procedural irregularities but the selection took place as per the rules mandated. Not convinced with the submissions of GP for home, the bench suspended all the panels and directed the government not to make any further appointments, and adjourned the case by two weeks.
TS govt asked if it has power or jurisdiction to probe drug cases
A division bench of HC on Tuesday directed TS to inform the court by next week whether it has got the power or jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the drugs-related offences or not. The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by A Revanth Reddy, TDP MLA, seeking a direction to the state government to entrust the ongoing SIT probe into the drug trafficking case to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) as the SIT of state prohibition and excise department was ill-equipped. Petitioner’s counsel contended that the SIT of state excise department had no jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute drug offences spanning international or inter-state when there were specialised agencies like NCB and the DRI. The bench adjourned case to next week.
‘Constitute state info commissions’
A division bench of Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday wanted the AP and TS to take steps to constitute state information commissions and make appointments of the posts of Information commissioners under the Right to Information Act. It fixed six weeks time for the purpose. The bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice J Uma Devi was dealing with a PIL filed by Forum for Good Governance. Petitioner’s counsel B Rachna Reddy said that whole RTI Act has become redundant as the commission is not functioning and both state governments are not responding to the issue. Telangana advocate general D Prakash Reddy told the bench that state government is ready to fill the posts and constitute the commission within six weeks. The bench then asked the AP state also to fill the posts within six weeks and report back to the court.
Borewell deaths: HC expresses anguish on way officials respond to court notices
A division bench of Hyderabad HC on Tuesday expressed its anguish at way officials are responding to notices issued by court in a case arising out of deaths of children in abandoned borewell pits. Principal secretary to revenue, TS, was asked to explain why suo motu contempt proceedings should not be issued against him. The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by Prakash Buddarapu, a practicing HC advocate, complaining that provisions of law are not being followed by persons who drill borewells and failure of officials to take steps in this regard.