Adopt fair criteria to grant media accreditation: HC
The High Court of Telangana has directed the state government to adopt fair, rational, and reasonable criteria for granting media accreditation to working journalists, irrespective of the language of their publications. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti examined the validity of G.O.No.239, issued on July 15, 2016, which had allocated accreditation cards to journalists based on the language of their newspapers. It declared this criteria as arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
The court highlighted that the language of a newspaper, regardless of the number of copies in circulation, does not constitute a reasonable for media accreditation. The Bench emphasized that the criteria should be based on circulation numbers or the number of pages in a publication.
HC appoints amicus curiae on law admission delay
The Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, has appointed senior counsel P Sri Raghu Ram as amicus curiae in a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging undue delay in admissions to law courses for the academic year 2023-24. The petitioner, A Bhaskar Reddy, argued that the delay in starting law courses is unreasonable and discriminatory. He claimed that while the Law Common Entrance Test is conducted in the first week of June, the authorities issue the notification for counselling very late, causing the academic year to typically start only in October or November. This delay, he contended, violates Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution of India, as well as the principles of natural justice. The petitioner requested the court to instruct the authorities to begin the law courses in July.
HC fiat to AGP on enforcing anti-animal cruelty law
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court has directed the assistant government pleader for Home to seek instructions on a writ petition filed by a resident of Saidabad, C S Sudeeb, who wants a directive to the DGP to enforce the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and its rules effectively, as per the Animal Welfare Board of India’s circular dated August 14, 2020. The petitioner has urged the court to mandate that all officials concerned to enforce the provisions of the Act diligently. The petition emphasizes the necessity of registering FIRs where applicable on a priority basis, to serve as a deterrent against cruelty to animals. The court has adjourned the hearing for a week to allow time for these instructions to be obtained.