HYDERABAD: High Court chief justice KJ Sengupta on Monday questioned Telangana advocate- general K Ramakrishna Reddy about the frequent holidays being declared by the government in the state.
He asked this when the AG urged the court to hear an appeal by the JNTU against a single judge’s order. He was unhappy about the road blockades set up all over the city by the authorities on account of Ganesh Nimajjanam disrupting normal life. The AG explained that the roads in Hyderabad were narrow and traffic needed to be regulated through multi-pronged strategies on such days.
Not satisfied, the CJ said, “You (Telangana government) have declared a holiday today, but want urgent matters to be heard by the court. I never came across a state declaring a holiday for occasions like this despite the roads being much more narrower than here.”
The AG requested the bench to hear the matter on Tuesday because the traffic situation became complicated in the afternoon with many Ganesh processions towards the Tank Bund.
Expressing his anger, the CJ said “People expect the courts to work 24 hours a day. Can there be holidays for hospitals and courts? What is the point in having a government when even the ambulances are unable to move?” The AG assured the court that he would convey to the government about the need of having an alternative plan from next year.
It is learnt that the Chief Justice, before coming to the court in the morning, had summoned the home secretary and city police commissioner to his chamber and discussed the possibility of having some routes earmarked for uninterrupted passage. The senior officials only said they would take steps in this regard from next year.