HC Hears PIL on WW-II Memorial Relocation Near Parade Ground
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has refused to intervene in a public interest litigation alleging that the World War II memorial located near the Parade Ground in Secunderabad is proposed to be demolished for an elevated corridor project.
The court noted the state’s statements that the monument would not be demolished and that proposals to move the monument to another location were being evaluated, during the meetings held with the participation of HMDA, Canton Board and defense officials. The state attorney assured that the structure would not be disturbed until a final decision was made.
The bench directed the petitioner, J. Rama Krishna, to submit a detailed presentation regarding his complaint to the relevant authorities.
The petition filed as a PIL was under review following registration objections. The court observed that the petitioner should first approach the authorities before seeking judicial intervention.
Supreme Court Rejects 600-Decare Private Land Claim; Paving the Way for Reserve Forest in Telangana
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a long-pending civil challenge by private parties seeking possession of nearly 600 acres of land proposed to be included in the reserve forest in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
The land forms part of 787 acres in Survey No. 81 of Kalvalanagaram village, which was notified for inclusion as reserve forest through a Gazette notification dated 6 February 1950 under Section 7(1) of the Hyderabad Forest Act.
The appellants, led by Vadiyala Prabhakar Rao, alleged that their predecessors were granted patta by the Nizam of Hyderabad between 1931 and 1932. They relied on revenue records, including Faisal Patti, Vasool Baqi and pahanis, to support their claims. The issue was the subject of litigation before the revenue authorities, the Supreme Court and then the Supreme Court.
A Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and SVN Bhatti rejected the allegations, upholding the findings of the Telangana High Court Division Bench and the earlier decision of joint collector Khammam.
The court noted that the appellants failed to produce the original pattas or primary title documents. It also noted that the plaintiffs had not been in physical possession of the land for decades and that the property remained uncultivated due to forest growth.
The court also observed that the petitioners had not established the chain of title from the original pattadars to the present appellants. Revenue records for 1954-55 stated that the land was deserted and covered with dense forests. The court dismissed the appeal, confirming the dismissal of the specific claims.
HC gives five weeks time to MLAs in case of defection
Hyderabad: Ten Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MPs accused of joining the ruling Congress on Wednesday sought more time to present their arguments in petitions before the Telangana High Court challenging the Speaker’s decision on the disqualification plea.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparash Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin accepted the plea, giving the MLAs five more weeks to file a counter-affidavit citing the intervening summer vacation. The petitioners were given another week to submit their answers. The case will be discussed on June 25.
BRS leaders KP Vivekananda, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, KT Rama Rao and others, along with BJP grassroots leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, had filed petitions challenging the Speaker’s rejection of disqualification plea against ten MLAs who allegedly switched allegiance after the 2023 Assembly elections.
Earlier, the court had directed the respondent MLAs to file counter-affidavits by May 6 after giving six weeks’ time for replies and replies. On Wednesday, his lawyers asked for a further extension, and the court granted it.
