HC orders status quo on notification appointing Kodandaram, Amir Ali Khan as MLCs till Feb 8

Hyderabad: On Tuesday at 2:30 PM the division bench of the Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti ordered “status quo” on the notification dated January 25 appointing M Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs under the Governor quota, after she approved their names. The swearing in ceremony of the MLCs was slated to be held on Wednesday, which will be now kept in abeyance till the next date of hearing (February 8).

The orders of status quo will be in force till February 8, ie the next date of hearing of the two writ petitions filed by Dr . Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana before the CJ bench, whose names were recommended by the BRS government for the post of MLCs. They were rejected by the Governor citing reason " not an eminent person and has political affiliation and is not entitled to be nominated for MLC posts".

The CJ bench found fault with the decision of the State government in recommending afresh Kodandaram Reddy and Amir Ali Khan when the petitions filed by Dr Sravan and Satyanarayana challenging the rejection of their nomination by the Governor is pending adjudication.

On January 29 Sravan and Satyanarayana filed two interim applications in the main writ petitions seeking a stay on GO 12 dated January 27 appointing Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs and another IA seeking to implead the two to the writ petitions.

Aditya Sondhi, senior advocate of the Supreme Court representing Dr. Sravan vehemently opposed the decision of the State government in recommending afresh Kodandaram and Amir Ali Khan as MLCs when the issue is pending adjudication in the court. The notification issued nominating two fresh names cited and such a decision of the office of the Governor is in the teeth of the press release dated January 17, 2024 issued by her overreaching the gentleman’s agreement which was arrived at between the parties in the court stating that the State will not take a decision in recommending fresh names for MLC posts till February 8, he averred.

Sudershan Reddy, Advocate-General, informed the court that an order appointing two new persons as MLCs has been passed under the Representation of the Peoples Act on January 24. In light of the above the office of the Governor has issued a notification.

The division Bench was adjudicating the writ petitions (180 & 181 of 2024) filed by Dr Sravan and Satyanarayana. Hearing in the case was adjourned to February 8.

PILs seek direction to State govt to construct a new building to house Osmania Hospital

Adjourned to Feb.12 for final hearing

On Tuesday A-G Sudershan Reddy informed the HC division bench headed by CJ Alok Aradhe and Justice A K Jukanti that the Osmania General Hospital which caters to needs of people is a 1000-bed hospital; there is an impending need to enhance it to 1,800 beds. Moreover, as the hospital has a teaching college; the State has sanctioned funds for constructing a building to house the hospital.

Two expert committees viz., IIT Hyderabad and Archeological Survey of India have given reports stating that the present building is not fit to be continued in view of its dilapidated condition. They have recommended a new building should be constructed.

While the matter stood thus, one counsel in the batch of PILs informed the bench that both the expert committees were constituted by the State government, the committees gave a report in favour of the government.

At the same time the committees did not recommend demolition of the old building; rather they have only recommended construction of a new building. ‘We are not against the construction of a new building to house OGH; a part of OGH, which has a heritage tag, has to be protected, he contended.

The bench was adjudicating the batch of PILs filed by Osmania Medical College Alumni, advocates, NGOs and others seeking directions to the government to construct a new multi-storeyed building for housing OGH with all super-specialty facilities in place of existing hospital, in about Ac.26.05 guntas at Afzalgunj.

The case was adjourned to February 12 for final hearing.