Hyderabad, December 10: A division bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday evening set aside the State government’s order on closure of hostels and directed the authorities concerned to reopen the hostels duly taking steps to ensure that only bonafide student boarders were allowed to stay in them.
The authorities concerned were asked to maintain supply of electricity and water to the hostels. The bench posted further hearing on the cases to Monday without suspending the orders pertaining to closure of educational institutions in the 10 Telangana districts.
On a day of dramatic developments, Justice L. Narasimha Reddy suspended the operation of the government order closing hostels and educational institutions in the morning session. The judge made it clear that the authorities could take steps to prevent misuse of hostel facilities and entry of anti-social elements.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice A.R. Dave and Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy heard writ appeals filed by the State government challenging the interim orders passed by the single judge earlier in the day. Advocate General C.V. Sitaramamurthy appeared before the bench at 2.15 p.m. and requested the bench to hear the appeals immediately.
Hearing at 4 p.m.
The cases were taken up for hearing at 4 p.m. The bench heard the Advocate General and senior counsels D. Prakash Reddy and Bojja Tarakam for nearly an hour. Initially, the bench was inclined to suspend the operation of the interim orders of the single judge, but advocates who appeared on behalf of the students informed the bench that the hostels could not be closed.
The bench then made it clear that all the hostels should be kept open. It posted the cases for hearing on Monday to facilitate the government to file counter-affidavits and said the cases would be comprehensively heard on Monday. By virtue of these orders, all the colleges will remain closed till December 18 or till the court interferes.
-Agencies