CAT Directs to Re-Fix Salary and Pension of Ak Khan and Pay Within Four Weeks

Hyderabad: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the Centre and the state government to re-fix the salary of retired IPS officer A.K. Khan in the scale of Rs 80,000, on par with former DGP Anurag Sharma, his junior, who was appointed head of the police force, with retrospective effect from November 13, 2015, and pay the arrears up to the date of his retirement. The CAT also directed the authorities to revise Khan’s pensionary benefits and to release arrears arising from the revision.

The exercise must be completed within one month from the date of receipt of the order, the tribunal said. Failing this, the due amounts will attract interest as admissible under General Provident Fund (GPF) rules until payment.

The CAT Bench comprising Lata Baswaraj Patne and Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi passed the order while disposing of the application filed by Khan in 2016. According to him, he was 1981 batch IPS officer and his name was to be considered to be appointed as DGP (head of police force), in the newly-formed Telangana state. The then state government in 2015 appointed Anurag Sharma, junior to him and a 1982 batch officer, as DGP.

Both Khan and Sharma were drawing salaries in the pay band of Rs 75,000–Rs 80,000 as of November 13, 2015. While Sharma’s salary was fixed at the maximum apex scale of Rs 80,000 following his appointment as DGP (HoPF), Khan’s pay was not correspondingly revised, leading to a disparity.

Observing that “a senior cannot be placed at a financial disadvantage vis-a-vis his junior,” the tribunal invoked the “next below rule” and the provisions of the IPS (Pay) Rules, 1954, to hold that Khan was entitled to parity in pay.

HC restricts State on Ailapur lands

Hyderabad: Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court made clear that the state government shall not give effect to any decision pursuant to the constitution a high-level committee with regard to land in Ailapur of Ameenpur mandal. The impugned proceedings was issued by the state government on April 15, constituting a seven-member committee with Sangareddy district collector as convener to examine issues of Sarf-e-Khas land in Ailapur.

A 98-year-old agriculturist, M.A. Shareef, whose structures were allegedly high-handedly demolished by HYDRAA and revenue authorities on April 11 and 12 filed the writ petition contending that the committee was an “inelegant attempt” by the government to overcome judicial pronouncements and review court orders.

Senior counsel L. Ravichander argued that the very action of the government was a brazen overreach of the delicate balance of power between the executive and the judiciary. He argued that the operation and balance of powers was a delicate act recognised by the Constitution. The government should not be permitted to cross the defined ‘Lakshman Rekha’.

Referring to various tasks assigned to the committee, of which the chief commissioner land and survey and senior IAS officers were members, senior counsel said they constituted a serious aberration to the theory of limited governance. He said that the government order did not refer to any statutory power, and it amounted to proceedings parallel to those under the law.

Government pleader Muralidhar Reddy said the challenge was much ado about nothing, He said that it was only a simple executive action initiated by the government to act, verify and protect government land. He also said that the committee was instituted merely to ascertain facts and was only an ordinary executive action not warranting judicial review.

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy recorded the stance of the government that the constitution of the committee was only to ascertain the facts and records, and must not affect the rights of the parties. The judge clarified that since serious issues had arisen for consideration, the committee may proceed with its delegated action but shall not give effect to any of the findings pending adjudication. The judge accordingly posted the matter for hearing after the summer vacation.

HC faults revenue officials for taking custody of private land

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court faulted the overreaching attitude of revenue officials of Medchal–Malkajgiri district in taking custody of a 4.38-acre land parcel in Survey No. 166/9/2 at Bowrampet of Gandimaisamma Dundigal mandal, without issuing notice, on the alleged insistence by a politician or private persons.

The court stayed the proceedings of the district collector in the land dispute and directed officials to remove the attachment on the private land.

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy passed the order in a petition filed by Ratnapriya, Jeevender Reddy and another, who challenged the recent proceedings of the district collector to take custody of the land and keeping the earlier proceedings issued two months back as well as the supplementary sethwar in abeyance.

The land was allocated to an ex-serviceman and an no-objection certificate was issued to him for the sale of land. A gazette was subsequently issued in 2005. After the alienation transactions, the supplementary sethwar was also issued and the district collector issued proceedings in January 2026, ratifying it.

However, on a complaint by some private persons, the collector, without issuing notices to the petitioners, kept the earlier proceedings in abeyance. The authorities took custody of the land and erected notice boards. The court questioned how the officials could take custody of the private land without issuing notices to the parties concerned. The court directed to unlock the land.