Hyderabad, April 23: A division bench of the High Court, comprising chief justice Nissar Ahmed Kukru and justice PV Sanjay Kumar, today ordered issuance of notice on a writ petition seeking reservation for Backward Classes in admissions to Nalsar, the law university, here.
Trishala Kaviti, an aspiring lawyer, moved the court complaining that while all similar institutions were providing reservation to Backward Classes, Nalsar had failed to comply with the constitutional obligation. It was also contended that as a local state university, Nalsar was bound by a government order issued in July 1974 which provided 30 per cent reservation to Backward Classes. The petitioner said BCs constituted the maximum chunk of population in the state and not providing reservation in their favour was not only unconstitutional but was also illegal and unjust.
New rule on no-trust motions in local bodies upheld
A division bench comprising justice G Raghuram and justice Naushad Ali dismissed a batch of writ petitions on the question of moving motions of no-confidence in local bodies.
Tallepallyi Srinivas of Jellela in Karimnagar district questioned the rule which, after amendment, permitted a motion of no-confidence once in four years as against the earlier prescription of two years. This was termed contrary to the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Act and was therefore illegal. When the government pointed out that the amendment of the rule was preceded by an amendment to the Act and both were the same, the bench pointed out that the basis of the contention was faulty and dismissed the writ plea.
Dealing with similar issues on the power of the legislature to amend the Act the bench found no constitutional error in the amendment to the Muncipalities Act and the Panchayat Raj Act. The plea that the right to move a motion of no confidence only once seriously affected the right to recall did not muster judicial acceptance.
Writ questions govt’s huge expenditure on media ads
The division bench comprising chief justice Nissar Ahmed Kukru and justice PV Sanjay Kumar ordered issuance of notice on a public interest writ petition questioning the huge expenditure being incurred by the government on media advertisements.
Prema Vahini, an NGO, filed the petition saying that while the original purpose of such advertisements was to inform the public of its welfare programmes, crores of rupees of money from the public exchequer was being wasted.
Public interest, not politicians’, was paramount, the petitioner said. M.Chidambara Rao, the 75- year-old deponent, pointed out that such advertisements increased steeply during elections.
“Between March 2008 and March 2009 the amounts paid towards media advertisements was nearly Rs 160 crore and another sum of Rs 152 crore is due to be paid,’’ he said.
Govt told to supply red sanders to Manipur weavers at lower price
Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy directed the state government to supply red sanders in a specified quantity to the Manipur Handloom Weavers Co-Operative Society at the rate of Rs 1.19 lakh per tonne. The government had fixed the price at Rs 2.19 lakh.
The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by the society complaining that the price fixed was not the market rate but excessive, and was also in contravention of an earlier order of the High Court. The petitioner said the High Court had, by an order passed in April last year, directed sale to the weaver society at the then prevailing market rate. They complained that the government fixed the rate at Rs 1.19 lakh for the AP Handloom Weavers Society but had increased the price for the Manipur handloom Weavers Cooperative society.
The judge passed the interim order requiring the Manipur Society to execute bank guarantee for the differential cost.
Execution of sale deeds to NGOs Society members stayed
Justice Ramesh Ranganathan stayed execution of the sale deeds by AP NGOs Society in favour of beneficiaries of a lottery system employed by the society. The judge passed the interim order on a writ petition filed by K Mahinder Reddy and four others who are working in the office of the Hyderabad city police commissioner.
The petitioners said that as members of the APNGOS they were entitled to allotment of house-sites and contested the society’s decision to allot plots on the basis of a lottery. This, the petitioners stated, was contrary to the guidelines which required priority to seniority in service.
Jeedimetla residents complain of inaction on checking pollution
The division bench comprising chief justice Nissar Ahmed Kukru and justice PV Sanjay Kumar ordered issuance of notice on a writ petition complaining that inaction by the authorities to check pollution was affecting the health and life of 20,000 inhabitants of Subash Nagar Colony at Jeedimetla in the city. The Subash Nagar Residents Association complained about high incidence of pollutants, including smoke, in the area and the failure of the government to take necessary action.