Orders on ‘fight for jobs’ meeting reserved

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday reserved orders on two petitions filed by the Telangana Joint Action Committee and a city resident seeking another permission to hold a public meeting, Koluvulakai Kotlata (fight for jobs), in the city.

Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with petitions filed by TJAC chairman Prof. M. Kodandaram and Mr Venkat Reddy challenging the police for refusing to permit the meet in the city.

Mr S. Sharath Kumar, special counsel for the government, submitting the counter-affidavit, said the police had reconsidered the applications of the petitioners and decided to permit the meeting at the Saroornagar stadium with certain conditions.

He said Prof. Kodandaram has to give an undertaking stating that neither he nor the organisers would indulge in any violence or damage public and private property. If such incidents were to occur, those attending the meeting should pay the compensation from their personal accounts.

Mr L. Ravichander, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, said religious sermons and a political meeting had taken place at the NTR stadium in the city, and sought the same venue as well as the Saroornagar stadium for the meeting.

B. Rachna Reddy, appearing for another petitioner, said that there was selective granting of permission as irrespective of the Assembly being in session, the Chinna Jeeyar Swamy had held his meetings in the NTR stadium.

She urged the court to direct the police to permit the meeting at NTR stadium or at Nizam College grounds. Mr Sharath Kumar said the meeting could not be held at the the two venues as they were located close to the Assembly.

TSPSC stand on BEd, DEd sought

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday issued notice to the state government and TS Public Service Commission, directing them to respond to a petition challenging the nonrecognition of candidates with BEd and DEd degrees in special education for direct recruitment as teachers.

A division bench, comprising Justice V. Ramasubramanian and Justice M. Ganga Rao while dealing with the petition by Telangana Inclusive Education, said it cannot grant an interim order directing the commission to receive the applications of such candidates.

The bench asked the petitioner why the National Council for the Teachers Education was not a party to the petition as it was the competent body to decide whether the BEd and DEd in special education was equal to the regular BEd and DEd courses.

Counsel for the petitioner said 25,000 candidates had BEd and DEd in special education and urged the court to direct the government to include their candidature for the recruitment.

While directing the respondents to file their counter affidavits, the bench posted the case to November 20.

Sridhar Babu’s bail plea kept on hold

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday reserved orders on the plea of former Congress minister D. Sridhar Babu seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered against him by the Chikkadpally police.

Mr Vedula Venkat Ramana, senior counsel appearing for the former minister, told Justice Shameem Akhter that the police registered a case under the provisions of the NDPS Act against his client based on a phone conversation.

Counsel said the case was booked against the petitioner with a political motive.

Mr D. Rami Reddy, additional public prosecutor, said that as per Section 26 of the NDPS Act, direct involvement of the petitioner was not required and the petitioner was held responsible as part of the conspiracy.

He said that police was investigating the case and had to question Mr Sridhar Babu.

Probe approval to tech colleges: PIL

A PIL was been moved before the Hyderabad High Court seeking a probe into alleged fraud committed by private engineering colleges in and around of the city to obtain approval from the All India Technical Education Council.

Quality Foundation, a city-based NGO represented by its general secretary V. Praveen, stated that private engineering colleges had submitted forged documents and plans of constructions and AICTE had granted approval without verifying the documents.

He said the NGO had filed a complaint with the AICTE on June 26, 2017, that 185 engineering colleges had secured approval with forged documents and plans.

The council had not taken any action, he said.