Telangana HC defers decision on plea seeking implementation of statehood movement assurances

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday deferred proceedings in a writ petition filed by participants of the Telangana Statehood movement seeking direction to the State government to implement assurances allegedly made to agitators before the formation of the separate state.

Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy, presiding over a single bench, heard the petition filed by Gollapally Nagaraju and eight other co-petitioners who participated in the Telangana agitation. The petitioners sought judicial intervention to compel the Telangana government to fulfil commitments purportedly extended to those who took part in the movement for a separate state.

Support promised during statehood struggle

Karunakar, counsel appearing for the petitioners, informed the court that the State government had assured agitators of several benefits, including allotment of 250 square yards of house sites, financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for house construction under a designated housing scheme and health insurance coverage worth Rs 10 lakh.

The petitioners contended that despite the passage of more than 12 years since the creation of Telangana as a separate state, these assurances remain unfulfilled, prompting the filing of the present writ petition.

'GO not uploaded to the official website'

During the hearing, Justice Reddy inquired whether the government had issued a formal government order enumerating the benefits to be extended to Telangana movement participants. In response, counsel for the petitioners acknowledged that while a government order had been issued, it had not been uploaded on the official website. The petitioners consequently sought a direction from the court to ensure implementation of the promised benefits.

The court declined to grant the relief sought at this stage.

Justice Reddy observed that in the absence of a produced government order, the court was not in a position to pass any directions. The judge drew reference to precedents wherein courts had directed governments to extend benefits in cases involving persons whose houses were submerged or police personnel killed in accidents, noting that such judicial directions were issued based on existing government orders. In the present case, the judge emphasised, no such government order had been furnished before the court.

The court directed the Assistant Government Pleader for Revenue to obtain instructions from the government on the matter. The case has been adjourned for further hearing to February 23.