Telangana told to assess crop damage

Hyderabad: A two-judge Bench of the Telangana High Court, consisting of Acting Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice T Vinod Kumar, directed the State government to take steps to enumerate and assess the extensive crop damage caused in the State in the past three months. The panel also directed the State and the National […]

Hyderabad: A two-judge Bench of the Telangana High Court, consisting of Acting Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice T Vinod Kumar, directed the State government to take steps to enumerate and assess the extensive crop damage caused in the State in the past three months. The panel also directed the State and the National Disaster Management Force to extend relief in the form of agricultural subsidy to all farmers, including tenant farmers, and to take steps for providing appropriate relief to small and marginal farmers who suffered huge economic loss in the absence of crop insurance in the past four months. The panel passed orders in a public interest litigation filed by Vissa Kiran Kumar, Krabi from Raithu Swarajya Vedika, an NGO, and Asha Latha, an agricultural rights activist. The counsel for petitioner Ch Ravi Kumar brought to the notice of the court that the Telangana government failed to extend compensation to farmers who suffered crop loss due to excessive rains in last September and October.

AC Retiring Hall

The panel stayed the continuation of the maintenance contract of the AC Retiring Hall at the Secunderabad Railway Station. It made the order in a writ appeal filed by Indian Railways Station Development Corporation Ltd. The incumbent licensee, K Padmaja, filed a writ petition contending that she was entitled to a 90-day extension during the Covid period and a renewal for one year by virtue of a circular issued by the Railway Board. The appellant pointed out that IRSDC has issued a circular entitling her to a 72-day extension. It was contended that she was not entitled to a renewal and that the circular relied upon by her would not apply to IRSD. The panel prima facie agreed with the view and suspended the order of the single judge made on August 31 enabling her to continue the maintenance work. The panel posted the case in the latter part of October.

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EFLU’s recruitment process

A two-judge bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice MS Ramchandra Rao and Justice T Vinod Kumar, set side Rule 3.2.7 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Commission for Backward Classes and quashed the orders passed by the Commission which stayed the recruitment process of the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Upon receipt of a complainant, the Commission stated that EFLU has not followed the reservation quota meant for ‘Other Backward Classes’ The counsel for the petitioner contended that the Commission has powers to regulate its own procedure but cannot confer on itself the power to stay proceedings. The counsel for respondents contended that the Commission was formed to safeguard the interest of Socially and Economically Backward Classes and it has the power to pass orders accordingly. The panel held that the Commission acted beyond its powers and directed EFLU to continue the recruitment process and declare the results.

Teenmaar Mallanna case

Justice K Laxman reserved the orders on the petition filed by K Mathamma, wife of journalist Naveen Kumar alias Teenmaar Mallanna. She contended that multiple FIRs and cases are being registered against Naveen Kumar on the same speech given by him and prayed for a direction from the court to restrain the police from registering further FIRs against him. Naveen Kumar is lodged in jail against 34 FIRs. Among them, 6 have been closed and 28 FIRs are still pending. The police have been harassing him with multiple PT warrants and thereby delaying the process of bail, the counsel for the petitioner said. The Government Pleader submitted that 6 FIRs were already closed as they arise out of the same incident. Other FIRs are against different instances of speech on different occasions.

Massage salons

Justice K Laxman reserved orders on the petition filed by massage salons in the limits of Hyderabad challenging the notification issued in 2010 by the then Commissioner of Police banning massage wherein male helpers are rendering services to female customers and vice versa. Earlier the court passed interim orders directing the owners of the salons to maintain a record of customers’ names, addresses and phone numbers so that the police can contact them. The court directed that it shall be open to any police officer not below the rank of a Sub-Inspector to verify once in a while such records to know whether a particular customer has solicited any such special service from the massage centre. It held that it is open to the police to take appropriate action. It also directed the salons to keep open the main door during working hours. The court will pass final orders in the petition in consonance with the above conditions.

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