Telangana High Court Issues Directives on Illegal Constructions Near Durgam Cheruvu
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, has issued orders regarding illegal constructions near Durgam Cheruvu. The court directed the Deputy Collector and Tahsildar of Serilingampally Mandal in Ranga Reddy district to review documents provided by the petitioners, such as sale deeds and permissions granted by the local authorities, before taking any legal action against them.
The directive came while the bench was hearing a group of seven petitions filed by employees and businessmen. These individuals had constructed residential buildings on plots of 500 square yards each in Kavuri Hills, Block B, Guttala Begumpet. The structures had four and five floors, respectively.
On August 3, the Deputy Collector and Tahsildar issued notices to the petitioners under Section 23 of the Andhra Pradesh Water, Land, and Trees Act, 2002. The notices informed them that their constructions were within the Full Tank Level (FTL) of Durgam Cheruvu and would be demolished as illegal structures.
The High Court had previously ordered the government to protect Durgam Cheruvu and remove illegal constructions within the FTL. The court has now asked the Tahsildar to carefully examine the documents submitted by the petitioners and act according to the law. The court also acknowledged a “compliance report” from the government, detailing steps taken to protect Durgam Cheruvu.
High Court Reserves Orders on MBBS Admissions Rule
In another case, the Telangana High Court’s division bench has reserved its decision on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of Government Order (GO) 33, issued on July 19, 2024. This order prescribes local candidature requirements for MBBS and BDS course admissions in the state.
The government had amended the existing rules to include a new sub-rule that requires candidates to have studied in Telangana for at least five years—specifically in grades 9, 10, and Intermediate—in addition to having resided in the state for seven years. Only candidates who meet these criteria would be considered “local” for admission purposes.
Several aspiring MBBS students filed petitions seeking the suspension of this new rule, arguing that it is unfair. The petitioners’ lawyers, Senior Counsels D. V. Seetharama Murthy and Mayur Reddy, argued that the rule is illegal and violates natural justice. They pointed out that a student from another state who meets the study and residency requirements is considered “local,” while a student born and raised in Telangana but who studied Intermediate elsewhere is considered “non-local.”
Advocate-General A. Sudarshan Reddy defended the rule, stating that Telangana’s approach is similar to that of other states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Punjab. He added that the amendment was made to benefit local students, noting that out of 136 applicants for medical seats as “local candidates,” 86 were from Andhra Pradesh.
The petitioners have requested that the government declare them as local candidates for MBBS/BDS admissions through the NEET UG 2024. The court has reserved its decision on the matter.
