HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed private medical colleges and authorities concerned not to insist that the appellants clear their tuition fee to continue attending classes.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara was hearing a batch of writ appeals challenging a common order dated December 27, 2024, which dismissed writ petitions filed against the exorbitant fee hike for postgraduate medical and dental courses in Telangana for the 2023-2026 block period.
The fee revision under the challenged GOs resulted in tuition fees soaring from Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 24 lakh per year for management quota seats and from Rs 3.2 lakh to Rs 7.75 lakh per year for convener quota seats.
Senior advocate S Ravi and advocate Sama Sandeep Reddy, representing the appellants, pointed out that in the previous block period (2020-2023), the High Court had allowed colleges to collect only 50% to 60% of the notified fees during the pendency of litigation. In the present case, an interim direction was issued permitting the collection of only 60-70% of the fees.
However, the colleges were now demanding the balance fee from students and barring them from attending classes. After hearing the arguments, the bench directed the colleges to refrain from insisting on the balance fee and to permit students to attend classes. The matter was adjourned for a further hearing in 10 days.
Waqf Board gets a lashing for ignoring HC orders
The Telangana High Court has taken a serious stance against the Waqf Board and petitioners for their handling of religious and administrative matters.
Expressing disappointment over the Board’s actions, Justice Nagesh Bhimapaka said that it has ignored the fundamental principles outlined in the Holy Quran.
During the hearing, Justice Bhimapaka remarked that both the Waqf Board and the petitioner had failed to uphold the true spirit of the Quran. He stressed that the Board was not acting in the interest of the poor and quoted verses from the Quran to support his statement. Notably, the judge read out these passages after removing his shoes.
The case pertains to multiple petitions filed against the Waqf Board last year, challenging its decisions and alleged mismanagement. The High Court had previously issued interim orders, including the seizure of an Ibadat Khana and the formation of a management committee. However, the court observed that these directives were not implemented, prompting sharp criticism from Justice Bhimapaka.
Expressing disapproval, the judge questioned the Board’s commitment to its responsibilities and warned legal consequences if the court’s orders continued to be ignored.
HC notices to state on farmers’ ex-gratia claims
The Telangana High Court on Thursday issued notices to the state government, represented by its chief secretary, principal secretary (Revenue), and collectors of 23 districts in response to a PIL filed by social activist Bannuru Kondala Reddy for non-implementation of GO 421.
The GO mandates the creation of a three-member committee responsible for verifying claims of dependents of farmers who have died by suicide. The petitioner also challenged the non-payment of the ex-gratia amount of `6 lakh as prescribed under GO 173 dated September 22, 2015, and GO 194 dated October 29, 2015.
The petition highlights the inordinate delay in verifying 200 final reports submitted from various districts. The petitioner urged the court to direct the district collectors to expedite the verification process and sanction the pending ex-gratia payments. Upon reviewing the material facts presented in the case, the court issued notices to the respondents, instructing them to file their counters. The matter was adjourned for six weeks for further proceedings.
By TG Naidu