Will draft a law on Village and Ward Secretariats, AP govt. tells High Court

The state government reported to the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday that it is drafting a law to bring legitimacy to village and ward secretariats. On behalf of the government, Advocate General (AG) S. Sriram told the High Court that women welfare secretaries working in village and ward secretariats will also be made an integral part of the police department. Legal solutions will be shown in this matter without any scope for disputes.

The AG asked that the details will be brought before the court and the hearing should be postponed to August. The High Court agreed to this and postponed the next hearing to August 18. To this extent, the bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice DVSS Somayajulu issued an order on Tuesday. It is known Public interest litigations filed seeking cancellation of two orders issued while finalizing recruitment, training, syllabus, job chart and subordinate service rules of women police.

The CJ bench on Tuesday once again heard the supplementary petitions filed by some women welfare secretaries that it is right to treat them as women policemen and to hear their arguments as well. Yalamanjula Balaji, one of the advocates for the petitioners, said that government is correcting its mistakes after filing petitions in the High Court challenging the illegal actions of the government. He said that laws are being brought as a part of it.

Another lawyer Narra Srinivasa Rao responded and said that women secretaries are being forced to wear police uniform. The bench asked the AG to intervene and adjust those who did not like it elsewhere. The AG said that if the petitions are submitted, they will be considered. Narra asked to give written directions on this and the bench refused. They asked whether they can pass such orders without submitting petitions.