Verdict in Kaleshwaram case deferred till April 22, Telangana High Court extends relief for KCR

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday deferred the pronouncement of its verdict in a batch of writ petitions challenging the Justice PC Ghose Commission report on alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).

The order granted interim relief to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and three others till April 22.

Verdict postponed, interim protection continues

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin adjourned the matter after the orders were reportedly not ready.

The Bench extended its earlier direction restraining authorities from initiating any coercive action against the petitioners based on the Commission’s findings.

Who moved the High Court?

The petitions were filed separately by:

- Former Chief Minister and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)

- Former Minister T Harish Rao

- Retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary SK Joshi

- Serving IAS officer Smitha Sabharwal

All four have challenged the Commission’s report, seeking it to be set aside.

What the petitioners argued

During the hearings, senior counsel Dama Sheshadri Naidu appeared for KCR, while Advocate General A Sudershan Reddy and senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy represented the State government and the Commission, respectively.

Counsel for the petitioners argued that the findings of the Commission were legally untenable and contended that mandatory notices under Sections 8B and 8C of the Commission of Inquiry Act were not served to their clients.

Why is the Kaleshwaram project under scrutiny?

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, launched in 2016 during the BRS government and inaugurated in phases by KCR in 2019, is regarded as one of the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation projects.

In March 2024, the Congress government constituted a commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose to probe alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of key barrages — Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla.

What did the Ghose Commission find?

The Commission, which submitted its report on July 31, 2025, reportedly held KCR directly and vicariously accountable for lapses in the project’s execution and operations. It also indicted Harish Rao, Joshi and Smitha Sabharwal for their roles during the project’s implementation.

What lies ahead

With the High Court now set to pronounce its verdict on April 22, the case remains crucial in determining the legal validity of the Commission’s findings and the potential accountability of top officials associated with the ambitious irrigation project.