HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday expressed its displeasure over the impugned GO issued by the Telangana government giving powers to the district minister and respective MLA to identify the beneficiaries of double bedroom housing (DBH)scheme.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice S Ravi Kumar was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by G Devdas of Karimnagar district.
S Satyam Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that as per the GO, the district minister and MLA shall sanction the two-bed room houses maintaining 50:50 ratio and furnish the list of eligible beneficiaries, to the district collector. Entrusting the job of selection of beneficiaries to the minister and MLA will lead to depriviation of benefit to the deserving people, said the petitioner.
After perusing the contents of the GO, the bench prima facie felt that the decision of the government is against the law. “How can the minister and the MLA seek applications from the people for the sanction of houses and how the government can issue such orders?, the bench asked.
The court observed that it would be better if the government entrust the responsibility to a committee of officials. Special government pleader B Mahender Reddy assured that the government will not make any allotments and urged the court to grant a week time to file a counter in the case.