Telangana gets ‘last chance’ to file counters, with costs
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday gave the state government a final three-week extension to file counter-affidavits in a batch of 23 writ petitions and a PIL pending since 2006, subject to payment of costs of `5,000 in each case to the Telangana State Legal Services Authority, Hyderabad.
A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin noted that counters remained unfiled in several matters despite an order dated October 29, 2025. The court also recorded lapses by the Registry in placing updated office notes or a checklist on the status of pleadings, and observed that written submissions had been filed only in a few cases, delaying final hearing though the oldest matter dates back nearly two decades.
On the state’s request for more time, the bench said any further extension, after an earlier “last chance”, could be granted only with costs.
It accordingly allowed three weeks from the date of the order to file counters, subject to payment of Rs 5,000 in each petition.
The court directed that no counter-affidavit would be entertained after January 9, 2026, and that any such filing, even if inadvertently accepted, be returned.
Rejoinders, if any, may be filed by January 20, 2026, while written submissions by remaining petitioners and contesting respondents must be filed by January 31, 2026. Oral submissions will be permitted only where written submissions are on record.
Objections to implead petitions in the batch must be filed by January 9, 2026. The matters were adjourned.
The Registrar (Judicial-I) was asked to verify completion of pleadings and written submissions in the first week of February 2026 and place an item-wise checklist before the bench for fixing final hearing.
The Registry was also directed to ensure continuous pagination, proper tagging of connected pleadings, and strict flagging as per Circular No. 8 of 2025 dated October 13, 2025.