HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has given last opportunity to the State government for filing counter affidavit by next date of case hearing in the contempt case, alleging that the authorities went ahead to conduct gram panchayat elections without enumerating the backward class (BC) population despite the court order. The Court warned of proceeding further to punish the authorities concerned under the Contempt of Courts Act if counter was not filed by June 14.
Last year, the Court while dealing with contempt case filed by Telangana State Backward Classes Welfare Association, represented by its president J Srinivas Goud, ordered notices to the respondents to file counter affidavit explaining whether they have violated the court orders or not regarding panchayat polls.
The petitioners sought the court to punish the respondent authorities for willful disobey of the court orders directing the state to enumerate BC voters and population and then provide reservations before issuing the election notification for gram panchayat elections.When the matter came up for hearing, Justice MS Ramachandra Rao noticed that no counter affidavit was filed by the government in the contempt case. In reply, the government counsel sought some more time for filing the counter in the contempt case.
The judge reminded that the state additional advocate general who appeared in the case earlier had stated that he would file counters. However, no counter affidavit was filed till date, the judge pointed out and warned that he would initiate contempt of court proceedings against the respondents if counter affidavit was not filed by next date of case hearing. The judge posted the matter to after summer vacation, on June 14 for further hearing.