Notices to key officials in PIL on encroachments
The Telangana High Court has taken cognizance of a PIL raising concern over the alleged encroachment of precious Grama Kantam land in the Rangareddy district. A bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao issued notices to key government officials, directing them to respond within four weeks. The PIL was filed by Kandukuri Srinivas, an agriculturist and resident of Bachupally village in Kandukur, Rangareddy district, who sought urgent intervention to protect over 6.15 acres of Grama Kantam land from encroachment. The petitioner alleged that some private individuals have unlawfully seized the land, converted it into plots, and constructed houses on it, with the local revenue authorities turning a blind eye.
Taking up the PIL, the bench issued notices to the principal secretaries of the Panchayat Raj and Revenue departments, the district collector and other officials, including the RDO and tahsildar of Kandukur, instructing them to provide a detailed response within four weeks. The court also directed the authorities to address the issue of granting building permissions on Grama Kantam land, which is supposed to be protected for public purposes and not used for private construction.
Order on disqualification procedural: BRS counsel
Senior counsel Gandra Ram Mohan Rao, appearing on behalf of the BRS, on Friday told a division bench of the Telangana High Court that there was no merit in the writ appeals filed by the Legislative Assembly Secretary as the single judge’s order on disqualification of defectors was merely procedural. The order, senior counsel argued, did not impose any substantive legal obligations but only directed the Assembly Secretary to submit the petitions — seeking disqualification of Tellam Venkat Rao, Kadiyam Srihari and Danam Nagender — to the Speaker and set a timeline for resolution.
Mohan Rao cited several judgments passed by various High Courts and the Supreme Court to support his arguments, highlighting the legal principles involved in such matters. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao, carefully considered his submissions and adjourned the hearing to Monday.