Telangana HC sends notice to government as it refuses to stay Secretariat demolition

According to a petition, the existing secretariat buildings, consisting of eight blocks on 25 acres of prime land were being demolished despite having a life span of 30-55 years remaining.
Telangana High Court
Telangana High Court

HYDERABAD: Refusing to consider a plea to stay the demolition of the State Secretariat buildings at Saifabad here, a division bench of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the State government and legislature secretary to file counter affidavits on the issue by July 18.

The court said it would have a limited role to play in adjudicating issues related to policy decisions of the government. There was scope for judicial review if there was any violation of principles of natural justice behind the government’s decision to demolish the said buildings, the court noted.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther, was passing this order on a PIL filed by retired professor PL Vishweshwar Rao, vice-president of the Telangana Jana Samithi and convenor of the Telangana Democratic Forum, seeking a direction to the authorities to restrain from demolishing the existing Secretariat buildings.

The petitioner’s counsel, Chikkudu Prabhakar, told the court the existing secretariat buildings, consisting of eight blocks on 25 acres of prime land, were built about 20 years ago with all modern facilities and had a life span of 50-75 years. However, the State government was going to spend taxpayers’ money to demolish these structures and construct new Secretariat buildings, he argued.

While the State has debts of about Rs 1.8 lakh crore, the government has decided to spend Rs 400 crore on the new buildings, he asserted, alleging that it was a waste of public money. After hearing the submissions of the counsel, the bench said the court would have a very menial role to play in adjudicating issues involving the State government’s policy decisions.

Even the Supreme Court has held in its judgments that the scope of judicial review by high courts was limited in respect of policy decisions of the governments, the bench noted. Replying to a query from the bench, the petitioner’s counsel said public money would be wasted if the government was allowed to implement its decision. The bench suggested that the counsel make his submissions on the issue if there was any mala fide intent behind the government’s decision. It issued notices to the respondents and posted the matter to July 18.

Keeps away from policy decisions

The Telangana High Court said it would have a very menial role to play in adjudicating issues involving the State government’s policy decisions, and mentioned the apex court’s observations in this regard

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