HC issues notices to State; PIL to suspend ordinance extending additional powers to HYDRA

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench of CJ Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao on Friday issued notices to the State Chief Secretary, the Secretary (Legal Affairs, Legislative Affairs & Justice), the Principal Secretary (Municipal Administration) directing them to respond within three weeks on ordinance which empowers HYDRA to exercise powers vested with the GHMC Commissioner for protection of public assets.

The petitioner in the PIL sought interim suspension of the ordinance to amend the GHMC Act, 1955, published in The Telangana Gazette. The ordinance enhances powers of HYDRA in protecting lakes, nalas and other government properties and demolishing illegally constructed buildings.

Inserting clause 384-B of the Act, increases the powers of HYDRA specifies that the government can empower any officer or agency to exercise powers vested with the GHMC for protecting roads, drains, public streets, water bodies, open spaces and parks and preserve them from illegal encroachments.

The bench was adjudicating the PIL filed by Manchireddy Prashanth Kumar Reddy, former corporator IS Sadan, s/o Manchireddy Kishan Reddy, former BRS MLA (Ibrahimpatnam) seeking suspension of the ordinance.

For filing counter, the hearing was adjourned for three weeks.

MLA Kova Laxmi gets relief in HC challenging her election

On Friday Kova Laxmi, BRS MLA (Komuram Bheem Asifabad) got relief in the HC in a petition challenging her election.

The HC single bench of Justice Kunuru Lakshman dismissed the petition filed by Ajmeera Shyam, seeking a direction to set aside her election on the ground that Laxmi suppressed information pertaining to her IT returns for the last five years before the RO in the Assembly elections.

The petitioner had contested the elections on Congress ticket and lost to Laxmi, who won with 82,705 votes; Shyam got 59,629 votes. Laxmi in form 26 had furnished IT returns for 2022-2023 (Rs.11.5 lakh), whereas the EC had directed all candidates contesting the election to furnish IT returns details for the last five years. She had suppressed information on IT returns for 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20 and 2018-19, which amounts to corrupt practice under Section 123(2) of the Representation of the People’s Act.

Justice Lakshman declined to accept his contention and dismissed the petition.