TS ASKED TO PROVIDE COVER TO REVANTH

The Hyderabad High Court on Friday directed the Telangana state government to provide security with gunmen and an escort to Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy till the election results are declared.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with an appeal filed by the Union home secretary challenging an order of a single judge bench directing the Union home ministry to provide security to Ravanth Reddy. Mr K. Laxman, assistant solicitor general, submitted that the law and order was the subject of the state government and it was the responsibility of the state police to provide security to public representatives either with the state police force or with the Central forces available with them.

While considering the contention of Mr K. Laxman, the bench said that if the single judge order was allowed to be implemented, it would set precedence and even the border security force would not be enough to provide security to the political leaders in states like Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, when the state government expressed its willingness to provide security to Mr Revanth Reddy before the single judge bench, the counsel for Mr Reddy declined the same on the grounds that the security cover provided by the state would be under the control of the DGP who is already miffed at him. The counsel then urged the court to direct the Central government to provide security for Mr Reddy, which the bench obliged.