Telangana High Court refuses to suspend Indiramma Housing Committees

Directs State government to file a counter to the petition challenging the committees and adjourned further hearings to January 24

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court refused to grant interim orders suspending the Indiramma Housing Committees set up for the selection of beneficiaries under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, which was launched by the State government to provide housing for the poor. The two judge Bench, comprising Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Dr G Radha Rani, also clarified that it could not stay the orders of the single judge.

It directed the State government to file a counter to the petition challenging the committees and adjourned further hearings to January 24, 2025. The State government introduced the Indiramma Housing Scheme to provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the construction of houses for the poor, with an aim of building 4.5 lakh homes in the first phase. To manage the selection of beneficiaries, the government issued a Government Order (GO) on October 11, 2024, forming committees at the village panchayat and municipal ward levels.

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These committees, which are to be headed by the local sarpanch or special officer, consist of women from self-help groups and mandatory members from the BC, SC, or ST communities.The formation of these committees was challenged in the High Court by A Nithish Kumar from Nizamabad district and another petitioner. In response, the single judge dismissed the petition, stating that the government has the discretion to implement the scheme and select beneficiaries based on eligibility criteria, as long as there is no violation of fundamental rights.

Nithish Kumar appealed the single judge’s ruling, arguing that the selection of committee members without specifying qualifications could lead to politically motivated appointments. His lawyer expressed concern that such a process might allow political party workers to be included in the committees, thereby compromising the transparency of the scheme. During the hearing, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) for the State, Tera Rajinikanth Reddy, defended the formation of the committees, asserting that the government had the right to decide how to implement the scheme. He emphasised that the process is transparent and free from corruption, and any concerns regarding its execution are addressed by the government. He urged the court not to suspend the committees at this stage, as the beneficiary selection process is already underway. The bench, after hearing the arguments, declined to issue a stay on the committees and directed the state government to file a counter. The court has deferred the next hearing to January 24, 2025.

Formula-E: Hearing adjourned
The Telangana High Court adjourned the hearing of the Formula-E racing case involving former Minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao to December 31. The court also extended its earlier order, protecting KTR from arrest until that date. The case, which pertains to allegations of financial irregularities and breach of trust linked to the Formula-E race events in Hyderabad, was up for hearing on Friday. During the proceedings, the ACB filed a counter petition along with application seeking the vacating of the “not to arrest” order granted in KTR’s favour. KTR, through his legal team, submitted a detailed reply, defending his actions and denying the allegations of misappropriation, breach of trust, and financial misconduct.

In response, KTR team raised contentions that the charges against him were politically motivated and baseless. He emphasised that the payments made for the Formula-E event were in line with contractual obligations, and the actions were aimed at securing the event for Hyderabad, which had proven economically beneficial in the past. KTR further denied any wrongdoing in the financial dealings, stating that all actions were in compliance with the procedures and agreements in place at the time. The court, at the request of State government for further time to submit its response, adjourned the case and extended the order protecting KTR from arrest until the next hearing on December 31, 2024, when a full hearing is expected to take place.

SI sentenced
Justice K Surender of the Telangana High Court sentenced Naresh Yadav, a Sub-Inspector at Tharigoppula Police Station in Warangal, to one week of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 in a contempt of court case. The punishment was for willfully disobeying court orders in a case filed by Golusu Narsaiah. The contempt proceedings stemmed from a directive issued by the court to the police to follow the procedure outlined in Section 41-A of the CrPC and the Supreme Court’s guidelines in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar when arresting Narsaiah. Despite these orders, Narsaiah was arrested and remanded without the prescribed notice or proper procedure. Narsaiah, upon his arrest, informed the police and the magistrate of the High Court’s directions.

In his defense, Sub-Inspector Yadav claimed that he was unaware of the court’s orders and asserted that attempts were made to serve the Section 41-A notice to Narsaiah, who was allegedly absconding. However, the court found Yadav’s explanation unacceptable, noting inconsistencies in his affidavits and his failure to properly serve the notice on the day of the arrest. Justice Surender emphasized the lack of remorse or contrition in Yadav’s conduct, describing his actions as a deliberate violation of the court’s orders. The judge also rejected the unconditional apology offered by Yadav, stating it reflected arrogance rather than genuine remorse. In addition to the prison sentence and fine, Yadav was ordered to compensate Narsaiah with Rs. 50,000 in his personal capacity.