TS staffers’ plea dismissed HC refuses to stay Central notification Do not use force, says HC

The HC on Friday refused to stay a notification of the Centre issued on September 15, 2016 removing TS from the jurisdiction of the AP Administrative Tribunal.

A division Bench comprising acting CJ Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Durga Prasad Rao dismissed the petitions moved by the employees of Telangana government and advocates P.V. Krishnaiah and B. Kiran Kumar challenging the notification of the Centre.

The AP Administrative Tribunal (APAT) has been adjudicating the service matters of employees of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana even after bifurcation.

The Centre issued the notification following a letter from the Telangana government stating that it did not need a tribunal. This was challenged by the petitioners. The TS government has also issued an Ordinance by transferring the pending cases before the APAT pertaining to TS employees to the HC.

The petitioners pointed out that the state government had no power to request the Centre to abolish the tribunal and also transfer the cases to the High Court and urged the court to stay the notification till final disposal of the main petitions.

While refusing to stay the notification, the Bench said that all the issues raised in this case would be decided during the final hearing. The HC on Friday told the Telangana government not to take any coercive steps to evict Dr P.V. Ramesh, special chief secretary of AP, from the DG’s quarters on the premises of the Dr MCR HRD Institute in the city.

The High Court was dealing with an appeal by Dr Ramesh challenging an order of the single judge directing him to vacate the Director General’s quarters within a month.

The counsel appearing for the appellant submitted that the alternative quarters which was allotted to his client was not fit to live in.

The bench posted the case to Monday for hearing.