GO not discriminatory against transgenders: Telangana High Court

Hyderabad: A two-judge Bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili affirmed that there was a need to have certain parameters that decide the eligibility of a person in availing State’s welfare schemes. The Bench was dealing with a writ plea that contended that transgenders have been categorically left out of a Government Order that grants housing relief to those people who fall under the ‘Below Poverty Line’ category. The court held that the said Government Order is not discriminatory against transgenders. It said that if a person fulfils the eligibility criteria enumerated in the order, then he/she shall not be deprived of the same. There is no question of gender or caste in the eligibility criteria and thus, there is no need to question the Government Order.

Minimum Support Price
The Bench ruled that the court is not the authority to fix the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and that it is the duty of the Central government to determine the MSP based on different considerations and issues surrounding the matter. The petitioner, Cheedella Venkata Raman filed the writ plea contending that the MSP fixed by the Committee for Agricultural Costs and Prices on 25 agriculture products inclusive of paddy is illegal and arbitrary. The petitioner questioned the alleged unscientific method of data collection and information in fixing the MSP. The court noted that the petitioner has failed to explain to the court the procedural and statutory law that is followed in fixing the MSP.

Free beds for poor
The Bench granted the Department of Health Medical and Family Welfare six weeks time to file a counter in a matter pertaining to the reservation of an appropriate percentage of beds for poor patients for free. The petitioner, Omim Maneckshaw Debara filed the writ plea seeking to enquire into the number of beds required to be reserved for poor patients free of cost. The plea was filed seeking steps to be taken to reserve an appropriate percentage of beds for poor patients free of cost in order to fulfil the backlog in the Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute.

Honour killing
Justice Lalitha Kanaganti of the Telangana High Court dismissed the bail plea of Ardam Ranjith Reddy and Rakesh Reddy, who were accused in the sensational honour killing case of Hemanth. It may be recalled that Hemanth, belonging to Vysya caste, was brutally murdered on September 24 2020, by the family members of Avanthi, opposing their inter-caste marriage. Other bail applications filed by Sandeep Reddy, Santosh Reddy and Sayanna were reserved for orders. The accused were in judicial custody for about one and a half years, as such they sought their release stating that their families are to be looked after and that they have no direct involvement in the killing. The prosecution and V Raghunath counsel for the complainant, Avanthi opposed the bail applications stating that the petitioners are directly involved in the abduction and murder of Hemanth.

Minimum wages
A two-judge Bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Kumar Sharma and Justice N Tukaram declared that the court can interfere in labour matters only if a certain government order violates statutory law. The matter at hand pertains to the revision of Minimum Wages which is allegedly less than the actual calculated minimum wages for the unskilled workman under agricultural employment. The petitioner, Telangana State Multiple Contractors Labour Union, filed the writ plea seeking revision of minimum wages in higher categories proportionately based on the guidelines of the Indian Labour Conference.

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