Hyderabad High Court faults Telangana, Andhra Pradesh for sparring on Braou
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday criticised the governments of AP and Telangana for blaming each other and for the way both governments had been handling the issue of regional study centers of the B.R. Ambedkar Open University.
A division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with a taken-up case based on news reports that 92 regional centers of the varsity in AP, catering to 3 lakh students, had been closed due to the reluctance of Telangana to extend the services to them. There was also a petition by the AP government, seeking extension of services of the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University to AP students.
The Bench pointed out that both governments had done nothing in the past two months regarding implementation of the court order except to blame each other. This was virtually spoiling the careers of students.
The Bench had ordered on September 4, 2015 for continuation of services of both the varsities to the students of AP. Meanwhile AP was directed to bear the salaries of teaching and non –teaching staff working in study centres from August.
Reminding about its order, the Bench pointed out: “We had given the order in September and both states are now responding leisurely, informing us that you (the states) have given directions to the authorities in November for implementation.”
Mr P. Venugopal, advocate general of AP, submitted that the government had released Rs 33 crore for the service centers and salaries of staff on November 23. He also informed the court that the TS government had completed the admissions for degree and PG courses for their students, leaving out AP students. Reacting to the submissions of Mr Venugopal, the Bench told K. Ramakrishna Reddy, advocate general of TS, that if the allegations were true it was not proper on the part of the Telangana government.
Mr Ramakrishna Reddy said that the AP government had released funds only for the Telugu University and there was no mention about the service centres of the Open University in the order.
While questioning Mr Venugopal regarding the reasons for not sanctioning funds for the Open University, the Bench asked Mr Ramakrishna Reddy why the admission process had not started in AP.
He replied that AP had not giving funds for the salaries of the Open University and it also had also not responded for appointment of an administrator for smooth correspondence between the two governments.
The Bench asked both the AGs to stop the blame game and asked how long the governments would continue to blame each other. It directed the registrar of the Open University, who was present in court, to file an affidavit explaining every step taken from September 4 till date for the implementation of the court order and adjourned the case for two weeks.
Judge declines to stall adding voters in GHMC
Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy of the Hyderabad HC on Friday declined to restrain authorities from enumeration of voters from the Back-ward Class Commu-nity in each ward of GHMC area and consequential finalisat-ion of the reservati-on of seats in GHMC.
The judge was dealing with a petition by Feroz Khan, secretary of the Telugu Desam’s Telangana unit seeking to dec-lare the action of the Telangana government and GHMC in finalising the electoral roll for GHMC and reservation of seats in GHMC without the issue of deletion of 6.3 lakh voters being finally decided, as illegal.
He contended that texture of wards to be reserved for BC co-mmunities will unde-rgo drastic change if the six lakh voters are retained from the electoral roll of the GHMC.
The judge asked K. Ramakrishna Reddy, the advocate-general of Telangana, to ascertain from the government and GHMC to explain if the issue of deletion of voters from electoral rolls has been finally decided by the Election Commission and how this will affect the reservation of wards in the ensuing elections to the GHMC.
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