VIJAYAWADA: The High Court on Friday directed various agencies such as Union Home Secretary, Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Security Guard (NSG), State Chief Secretary and Home Department to file a counter on the petition filed by former Chief Minister and Pulivendula MLA YS Jagan Mohan Reddy seeking an order to the Central government to provide him Z+ category security.
It may be recalled that Jagan filed a petition in the High Court on Thursday. Justice S Subba Reddy on Friday adjourned the matter stating that it would be taken up after the summer vacation.
In the petition, Jagan claimed that the State government had failed to provide him adequate CRPF or NSG protection violating the constitutional norms, and requested an independent reassessment of his threat level to restore Z+ category security.
The petitioner’s counsel Y Nagi Reddy presented his arguments that the State violated its responsibility to safeguard public figures and reduced the security cover to Jagan. He also urged the court to mandate Z+ category security restoration on par with security cover to be available for a former Chief Minister. The counsel also sought approval from the court to use Jagan’s own bulletproof vehicle as his security was significantly curtailed without prior notice, disregarding the threat perception.
Deputy Solicitor General Pasala Ponna Rao and Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas informed the court that a petition on the same is pending in the High Court and sought time to file counters.