Telangana HC clears decks for ‘Murder’ movie

The movie is based on sensational honour killing of Pranay by his wife’s father Maruti Rao

Hyderabad: A two-judge Panel comprising Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice T Amarnath Goud on Friday cleared the decks for filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma and producer Natti Karuna for release of the movie ‘Murder’. The movie is based on sensational honour killing of Pranay by his wife’s father Maruti Rao.

Ram Gopal Varma approached the High Court challenging the stay of the movie by the Special Sessions Judge, Nalgonda. The Court heard the counsel for Varma and the counsel for Pranay’s wife Amrutha. The objections raised by Amrutha counsel V Raghunath were considered by the Court and accordingly specific directions are given not to use the names or photographs of Pranay, Amrutha or Maruti Rao. Accordingly, the panel disposed the case.

Setting up of district fisheries co-op panel challenged

Justice Challa Kodandaram of the Telangana High Court on Friday held GO 58 issued by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy as ultra vires the Cooperative Societies Act. The court was dealing with a writ plea filed by Fishermen Cooperative Society Ltd, Yadadri Bhongir district, which challenged the order of the government.

The order provides for constitution of District Fisheries Cooperative Committee (DFCC). The judge observed functions that are to be discharged by the officials of the Fisheries Department who are also registrars of cooperative societies for Fisheries cannot be entrusted to the DFCC. It is statutorily not entitled to deal with matters pertaining to cooperative societies. Accordingly the case was allowed.

Case on court’s location dismissed

A two-judge panel comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijayasen Reddy dismissed a writ plea which challenged the administrative order of the Telangana HC deciding on the location of the local court at Sulthanabad.

The Bar Association of the Sulthanabad challenged the April 2020 order of the High Court which specifies the identified area for the new court complex. The petitioner contended that the court location is outside the main town and is inaccessible. The petitioner also contended that relevant factors were not considered in taking the decision.

Chief Justice Chauhan said: “In 2005, when we decided to construct High Court outside Jodhpur, the advocates showed black flags, but now Rajasthan has a beautiful HC. The city has grown in that direction and the advocates have happily settled in the surroundings of the court”. He further questioned the petitioner as to how it could concluded “we have not considered relevant factors”. Moreover, what is the scope of judicial review in a policy decision, the panel questioned the petitioner.

Suggesting the petitioner not to interfere in certain policy decisions to the administration, the panel closed the case.

Recruitment questioned

The said panel granted two-week time to the Registrar, Recruitment, Telangana HC, while dealing with a writ plea pertaining to recruitment for the post of District and Sessions Judge.
The April 2017 notification called for the recruitment to the District judge post at entry level. Venkata Naga Lakshmi challenged the rejection order passed against the petitioner and the appointment of Vanasty Anaparthy. Petitioner contended that the rejection order against petitioner was illegal, arbitrary, hasty and in violation of principles of natural justice. Petitioner also contended the order was passed without application of mind, contrary to the spirit of selection process.

Plea against eligibility rule

The said panel also directed the Northern Power Distribution Corporation Ltd to respond as to why engineering graduates are not eligible to the post of Sub Engineer Electrical. D Babu Rao of Karimnagar challenged the 2011 GO and notifications in 2018 for insisting diploma for engineering graduates and set them aside for the said post.

The panel enquired how the diploma is a better qualification than engineering. It pointed out: “A diploma student can opt for studying engineering but how can an engineer go back to inferior course?.” Senior counsel Vidyasagar, representing the Corporation, said based on the work nature diploma is the required qualification and even a Phd candidate would not suit the nature of the post.

Engineering is a comprehensive graduation course of 4 years and it’s a high qualification compared to the Diploma said the petitioner. He contended the qualification criteria which allows diploma candidates and deprives engineering graduates is discriminatory unjust and unconstitutional. The panel directed the Corporation to file its counter version in 3 weeks and adjourned the case.

Enrol fresh graduate voters, EC told

The panel directed the Election Commission to allow enrolment of fresh graduate voters in MLC constituencies, those who have submitted through Form 6 and 7, between Dec. 1 and 31. Ramesh of Hyderabad filed a writ plea challenging the conclusion of the process of denovo preparation of Electoral Rolls by November 6, 2020. Chikkudu Prabhakar, Counsel for the Petitioner contended without adequate publicity among the eligible voters the finalisation of list is unfair and violation of principles of natural justice and against the Representation of People Act 1950.

The panel also found due to the existing pandemic and natural calamities like floods in Hyderabad the prescribed date November 6 for finalisation of the list is unreasonable.

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