HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Friday directed the Telangana government not to demolish any structures, including cutting of trees and levelling the ground, nor take up any activity till Tuesday on the lands of Victoria Memorial Home residential school at Saroornagar here.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was passing this order in a PIL filed by L Buchi Reddy, president of VM Home Orphan Old Students Association, challenging the decision of the government to lease 10 acres of land belonging to the Home to Rachakonda police commissionerate for a period of 11 years for constructing its headquarters.
The petitioner contended that since it was registered as an endowment under Endowment Act in 1957, the government has no right to alienate the land either on lease or through sale. The government was only a custodian of the property.
Earlier, the bench directed the government to produce evidence on its claim that the subject lands belongs to the government. When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, Additional advocate general J Ramachander Rao urged the court to adjourn the case to Monday for filing counter affidavit on the issue. Opposing grant of more time, senior counsel S Satyam Reddy, who was appearing for the petitioner, pointed out that the government has already decided to lease out the land to Rachakonda commissionerate and also put up the board on the subject land and took up ground levelling works by cutting the trees. Besides, it was attempting to take over the existing old building in the area.
Judge’s appointment challenged in HC
A petition was filed in the High Court challenging the appointment of justice DVSS Somayajulu as judge of the HC. Petitioners UD Jai Bhima Rao and other advocates challenged the appointment saying that the judge did not have 10 years’ experience as advocate of the High Court.