The Telangana High Court has directed the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Finance, to file a counter affidavit by March 17, 2026, failing which costs will be imposed.
A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin passed the direction while hearing a PIL filed in 2021 by Krupa Soni of Hyderabad, challenging the Credit Information Companies (Amendment) Regulations, 2021, notified by the Reserve Bank of India on November 29, 2021. During the hearing on Wednesday, the bench noted the delay in the matter.
Notices had been issued on December 3, 2021, and again on May 9, 2023, to the RBI, the Finance Ministry and credit information companies. However, counter affidavits had not been filed even after more than four years.
The court cautioned counsel for the Finance Ministry to ensure compliance by the next hearing. The PIL seeks a stay on the 2021 RBI notification and restraint on credit information companies.
HC quashes IPC charges, allows Wildlife Act probe to continue
Justice J Sreenivas Rao of the Telangana High Court has partly allowed a writ petition, quashing criminal proceedings under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) while permitting action to continue under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The petition was filed by Molichelimi Sai Rohit and five others in connection with an incident reported in the early hours of March 27, 2022, at the Mannanur Range in Nagarkurnool district, which falls within a tiger reserve.
According to the Preliminary Offence Report (POR), the petitioners, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, entered a restricted forest area at night, threatened and assaulted a forest protection watcher when he refused to open a locked check post, and obstructed him from discharging his duties.
The petitioners argued that they had been falsely implicated and that forest officials had no jurisdiction to investigate IPC offences, as their powers were limited to offences under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.