On Thursday, the court was informed that despite the interim order dated 09.10.2025, the state had not filed its counter-affidavit explaining its contentions.
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court adjourned a batch of writ petitions filed in related to GO Ms. No. 9 dated 26.09.2025, issued by the state government enabling 42 per cent reservations to the Backward Classes communities in local body elections in rural areas. On Thursday, the court was informed that despite the interim order dated 09.10.2025, the state had not filed its counter-affidavit explaining its contentions.
The special government pleader appearing for the state government sought time to file counters in all matters, stating that the cases had been adjourned on several occasions. Accepting the request, the court granted eight weeks and permitted the petitioners to file replies within two weeks thereafter. The matters were directed to be listed after ten weeks.
Meanwhile, the interim order granted earlier was extended until further orders. Based on the interim orders, the local body elections had been conducted. In the batch of petitions, a few had challenged GO-9 while others had defended it GO-9. However, the court had issued interim stay orders on the ground that the GO impacted the 50 per cent ceiling prescribed by the Supreme Court.
TG Bar Council polls to be held today
Hyderabad:Elections to the Bar Council of Telangana will be held on Friday, bringing to an end the prolonged delay in the democratic process of the statutory body governing advocates in the state. Counting of votes will be held on February 10.
Elections to the Bar Council were conducted in June 2018, the first in the new state of Telangana that was formed in 2014. While the Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926 prescribes a three-year term for the first constituted Council, the members elected in 2018 continued beyond their tenure by invoking the Advocates Act, 1961, which provides for a standard five-year term. But elections were not conducted even after completion of five years.
Aggrieved by the continued extension of the council’s term, a group of advocates approached the Supreme Court which directed that the election process be completed by January 31. In compliance with the apex court’s deadline, the Bar Council of Telangana has scheduled the polls for Friday.
A total of 35,316 advocates, including 7,637 women, practice in courts across Telangana are eligible to vote. In the fray are 203 advocates, including 55 women. Of them, 23 members will be elected to the council, who will thereafter choose the chairman and vice-chairman. Five seats are reserved for women advocates in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines.
Voting will be conducted on the preferential system, with voters marking their choices in numerical order — one, two, three and so on.
According to Nagalakshmi, secretary of the Telangana Bar Council, 109 polling stations have been set up across the state to facilitate smooth polling. CCTV cameras have been installed at all polling centres to ensure transparency in the process. After polling, the ballot boxes will be transported to the Bar Council premises at the High Court, where counting of votes will commence from February 10.
HC takes serious view of fee, scholarship delay
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court expressed concern over discrepancies in the disbursement of compensation to the families of workers who died or were reported missing in the June 30 blast at the Sigachi Industries plant in Pashamylaram, and directed the company to explain by March 12, the manner in which compensation amounts were paid under different heads to the affected families.
The directions were issued by following a report submitted by amicus curiae Dominic Fernandes, appointed to assist the court in the PIL filed Kalapala Babu Rao, a retired scientist. The petitioner had sought a direction to the state government to take a decision on paying the full compensation amount of `1 crore to the families of each of the deceased workers.
According to the report of amicus curiae Fernandes that was placed in the court on Thursday, the families had been paid `25 lakh each, whereas, on July 2 last, in the aftermath of the blast, the company had promised to pay `1 crore. This announcement was recorded in the BSE and NSE records.
Amicus curiae pointed to anomalies and incomplete figures in the compensation details. It was submitted that ex gratia payments under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923 and the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 were added in the ex gratia paid by the company and state government. He submitted that the ex gratia through the statutory provisions to the employees could not be considered in the promise made by the company.
Fernandes also brought to the notice of the court that at the first instance after the incident, the state government had announced the payment of `2.4 lakh to the family of each missing person, during the process of tracing them. The records did not show whether the amount was paid or not.
Counsel for Sigachi submitted that the agreed compensation amounted to `23,17,49,181, out of which `16,44,47,525 had been disbursed, and that the balance amount of `6,05,32,720 had been paid through post-dated cheques. According to him, `42 lakh was paid to each of the families of the 46 deceased as well as eight missing person.
The court observed that the figures reflected discrepancies and required a clear explanation, particularly in relation to the heads under which payments were made and the inclusion of statutory benefits.
The regional commissioner, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, Hyderabad, the regional director, Employees’ State Insurance, Hyderabad, and the controller of drugs of the state government, were directed to be impleaded as respondents in the PIL, as the bench sought to find out details of the employees in the factory, including how many were workmen from the unorganised sector.
Additional advocate-general T. Rajanikanth Reddy submitted before the court a copy of the chargesheet filed in connection with the incident. The chargesheet had been laid before the Court of the Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate, Sangareddy, against seven accused persons for offences punishable under Sections 105, 110, 118(1) and 118(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023. It was brought to the notice of the court that five accused had been shown as absconding.
The High Court directed the Member Secretary, Telangana Legal Services Authority, and the secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Sangareddy, to examine whether the kith and kin of the deceased and the missing persons required legal services as per their entitlement and to submit a report.
