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A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, deferred hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging a government memo allotting about four acres of government and endowments land in Shaikpet, Jubilee Hills, to Deccan Infrastructure and Land Holdings Limited. The panel was hearing a PIL filed by Rastriya Vanarasena, a charitable trust for the protection and preservation of temples. The petitioner alleged that the land, on which a Hanuman temple earlier stood, was allotted during the financial year 2020–21 based on the e-auction value of 2013, causing an estimated loss of `260.69 crore to the exchequer. The petitioner contended that the authorities’ actions were arbitrary, illegal and in violation of the Constitution. The petitioner contended that the land, being endowment property, could not have been alienated in violation of statutory safeguards. The petitioner sought directions to set aside the impugned memo, restore possession of the land to the government, demolish the constructions raised on the site, and reconstruct the Hanuman temple. The panel directed the parties to file their written submissions and deferred the matter. 2. HC directs CRPF to issue sponsorship certificate Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the Telangana High Court directed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to issue a sponsorship certificate to a senior medical officer (deputy commandant) for pursuing a postgraduate course in medicine for the academic year. The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by Dr Kakulavaram Sharmila Reddy. The petitioner challenged the rejection of her sponsorship request on the ground that she did not complete three years of field service as mandated under the ministry of home affairs (MHA) guidelines issued in 2012. The petitioner, who joined the CRPF as a medical officer (assistant commandant) in 2018, contended that she completed five years of regular service by 2023 and was eligible for study leave under the provisions of the Central Civil Services (CCS) Leave Rules, 1972, which do not require any specific field service. She appeared for the NEET PG 2025 examination, but her sponsorship was denied. The petitioner submitted that the MHA guidelines of 2012 could not override the statutory CCS Leave Rules framed under Article 309 of the Constitution. The judge observed that while the MHA guidelines prescribed three years of field service, such executive instructions could not prevail over statutory provisions. Referring to a Supreme Court judgment, the judge reiterated that statutory rules cannot be overridden by executive orders or practices. 3. HC clarifies rules on GPA execution Justice Renuka Yara of the Telangana High Court held that there was no statutory requirement to cancel an earlier general power of attorney before executing a fresh one. The judge allowed a civil revision petition filed by E. Bhanu Prakash challenging the rejection of the substitution of a GPA holder to prosecute a civil suit. A trial court had earlier refused to permit substitution of the GPA holder in a suit filed for recovery of possession, recovery of money, perpetual injunction, and mesne profits filed by the petitioner. The petitioner, presently residing in the US, filed the suit through his father as GPA holder against Anjali Constructions and others. Upon his father’s death in November 2019, a fresh GPA was executed in favour of his paternal uncle. Later, due to the uncle’s ill-health, another GPA was executed in August 2022 in favour of the petitioner’s brother-in-law, who sought permission to continue prosecuting the case. The trial court, relying on a Supreme Court decision, rejected the plea, holding that the new GPA could not be recognised without formal cancellation of the earlier one. Counsel for the petitioner contended that the trial court misapplied the law, distinguishing between authorisation to conduct the case and permission to depose in evidence. Justice Renuka Yara observed that Rules 32 and 33 of the Civil Rules of Practice expressly permit conduct of cases through GPA holders and that substitution of such attorneys was permissible, especially when the principal resides abroad. Holding that the petitioner’s reasons for appointing new attorneys were bona fide, the judge set aside the trial court’s order and allowed the revision. 4. HC quashes noise case against event manager Justice Tirumala Devi Eada of the Telangana High Court quashed criminal proceedings against an event manager accused of causing sound pollution during a marriage reception at NRC Gardens, Kukatpally. The judge was dealing with a criminal petition filed by Baipothu Srinivas Keshav Yadav, against whom a case was registered following a “Dial 100” complaint. It was alleged that loud sound systems were used at the venue. The...
