By L. Ravichander
Copyright deccanchronicle
Hyderabad: Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court permitted celebration of the Bathukamma festival near the Bhagyalakshmi Ammavari temple at Charminar on September 23, subject to strict conditions. The order came in a writ plea filed by B. Uma Shankar challenging the police’s refusal to grant permission for the event on the ground that Charminar was a sensitive location situated in a mixed community area and declared as a pedestrian zone. The police cited law and order and security concerns, stating that the presence of large gatherings could cause inconvenience to tourists and the general public and could also be misused by anti-social elements to create disturbance. However, it was admitted in the court that the festival had been permitted at the same location in 2024 without any untoward incident. Recording these submissions, the judge directed that the festival may be held between 4 pm and 5.30 pm on September 23, with participation restricted to not more than 100 women. The judge made it clear that no VIPs should be invited, that sound systems must remain within permissible decibel limits, and that participants should refrain from raising any slogans or making statements that could hurt the sentiments of other religious or political groups. It was further ordered that if any of these conditions are violated, the police are empowered to take action strictly in accordance with the law. CDFD notification challenged in HC Justice Pulla Karthik of the Telangana High Court took on file a writ plea challenging the cancellation of a recruitment notification by the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) and the issuance of a fresh advertisement without accommodating previously shortlisted candidates. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by Kethavath Narender Naik, who contended that the CDFD had arbitrarily cancelled an advertisement and re-advertised posts, thereby depriving him of consideration despite being shortlisted and issued an admit card for the post of Junior Assistant-II (ST category). The petitioner argued that such action was illegal, in violation of the Constitution and discriminatory since no age relaxation was granted to him in the fresh recruitment. He sought a direction to resume the recruitment from the stage of the written test or, alternatively, to permit his participation in the new recruitment process by granting one-time age relaxation. HC stays dumping garbage on graveyard land Justice B.Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court restrained the GHMC from carrying out any further construction activity on land earmarked as a Hindu graveyard near Morukunta Cheruvu. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by the Residents Welfare Associations Joint Action Committee, represented by its president, B.S. Uday Prakash. The petitioners challenged the inaction of the GHMC officials in addressing repeated representations against the dumping of garbage in the graveyard area. They argued that such actions violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and principles of natural justice. Senior counsel B. Rachana Reddy, appearing for the petitioners, placed on record a letter from January from the Medchal–Malkajgiri district collector to the GHMC commissioner, identifying four alternative sites for setting up garbage dumping stations. These include three sites at Yapral village and one at Jawaharnagar. The respondents admitted that the disputed site was currently being used as a secondary collection and transfer point (SCTP) but assured the judge that the feasibility of shifting to alternative sites was under active consideration and sought time to obtain instructions. Taking note of the collector’s proposal, the judge directed the GHMC not to proceed with construction near the graveyard land until the next hearing on September 24. The judge clarified that the interim order would not prevent the GHMC from using the site for secondary collection purposes and permitted the installation of machinery already procured.
