Telangana High Court dismisses petition against Smita Sabharwal

The Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking action against Smita Sabharwal, Member Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission, over comments she made on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

By Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking action against Smita Sabharwal, Member Secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission, over comments she made on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The PIL was filed by social activist Vasundhara Koppula, who alleged that Sabharwal’s remarks were insensitive and offensive towards the differently-abled community. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, delivered its judgment today, concluding that the PIL lacked merit and did not serve the public interest.

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The court’s decision was based on the assessment that the comments made by Sabharwal fell within the bounds of her right to free expression as a citizen. According to the petitioner’s allegations, on July 21, Sabharwal posted comments on X criticizing the capability of differently-abled individuals in high-stakes professions such as pilots, surgeons, and IAS officers. The petitioner contended that these remarks were not only derogatory but also in violation of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, which are intended to uphold the dignity and integrity of public servants. In her social media post, Sabharwal had expressed her view that differently-abled persons should not be entrusted with certain critical roles and had advocated against reservations or quotas for such individuals. This led petitioner to argue that the comments were both legally and ethically inappropriate. However, the bench found that the PIL did not present a substantive public interest issue. As controversy did not constitute a violation of any specific legal provisions that would warrant judicial intervention, the bench dismissed the case.

High Court asks Principal Secretary (Home) to comply with court order

Hyderabad: Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court has directed Dr. Jitender, Principal Secretary (Home) to appear in court if he fails to comply with a court order issued in December 2023. This decision follows a contempt petition filed by Ch. Satish, a candidate who was denied employment as a police constable despite a favorable court ruling. Ch. Satish, who had been selected for the post of police constable, was initially denied appointment due to his involvement in a criminal case deemed to involve moral turpitude. Satish had been charged with murder but was subsequently honourably acquitted. Following this, he challenged the denial of his employment in a writ petition. The High Court ruled in Satish’s favor, directing the authorities to grant him the employment he was wrongfully denied. However, despite this court order, Satish was not offered the position, leading him to file a contempt petition for non-implementation of the court’s decision. Justice T. Madhavi Devi, granted Dr. Jitender a four-week period to implement the court’s failing which he will be required to appear personally in court to explain the non-compliance.