Ex-officio votes to be counted separately

HYDERABAD

Dec. 1: The AP High Court on Tuesday dismissed an interim prayer of a petitioner to restrain ex-officio members from voting to elect the GHMC Mayor and his deputy.
A division bench comprising Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice S. Govindarajulu while refusing to grant stay, asked the returning officer to count the votes of ex-officio members separately, and to keep them separately. The court said the counting of votes of the ex-officio members will be subject to the final outcome of the petition.
The CPI state council and Lok Satta had filed the writs challenging the decision of the government to allow MLAs, MPS and MLCs to cast their vote in the election of the Mayor and his deputy. There 62 ex-officio members for the election, scheduled for December 4.
The petitioners contended that Section 5 (1) A and Section 90 of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act in so far as they allow the participation of ex-officio members in the first meeting of the Corporation to elect the Mayor compromise the autonomy of the local bodies.
The government contended that Article 243 R of the Constitution enables the state to make a law as regards the composition of municipal bodies by elected members, eminent experts and elected legislators.

Plea against Rosaiah as CM dismissed

The AP High Court disposed of a writ of quo warranto filed against the appointment of Mr K. Rosaiah as Chief Minister.
Mr Bezavada Govinda Reddy, a Congress leader from Nellore district, had filed the writ alleging that Mr Rosaiah did not have the support of the party MLAs and hence cannot continue as Chief Minister. Mr Reddy contended that anyone who cannot command the legislative majority cannot continue in as CM.
While hearing the case a division bench comprising Chief Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy asked the petitioner’s counsel if there was any need to continue with the plea as Mr Rosaiah had been nominated leader of the CLP. Mr S. Ramachandra Rao, senior counsel who appeared for the petitioner said he would leave it to the wisdom of the court. The bench disposed of the petition as it had become infructuous.

HC seeks info on TTD jewel concern

A division bench comprising Justice Goda Raghuram and Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the AP High Court on Tuesday directed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to file within two weeks a report in a sealed cover about its apprehensions pertaining to the security of the Lord’s jewellery when they are made public.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Mr Bezawada Govinda Reddy, a Congress leader from Nellore district, seeking a direction to protect the assets and properties of the TTD including jewellery of Lord Venkateswara.
The court made it clear that it will not make public the concerns of the temple in this regard. It held an in-camera hearing on the jewellery issue following TTD counsel expressing apprehensions over the security concerns in making details of the jewellery public.
The petitioner’s counsel argued against any kind of secrecy in the name of security. The bench also sought to know from the TTD and the government why the post of the financial adviser and chief accounts officer in TTD was lying vacant for the last year. The case was posted to December 15.