The Telangana High Court has expressed strong displeasure over the state government’s failure to file responses to petitions pending for nearly two decades. The observation came during the hearing of public interest litigations (PILs) challenging G.O. 45, which was reportedly in violation of Endowments Department regulations. Despite the petitions being pending since 2006, the government had not submitted any counters, a lapse noted by Chief Justice Apresh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin.
Since the government also ignored the “final opportunity” given last October, the court imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 per petition, directing the amount to be deposited with the State Legal Services Authority. The court set a final deadline of January 9 for filing counters and instructed the registry not to accept any submissions after that date, adjourning further proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government is moving ahead with the construction of a new High Court building in Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The project, costing approximately Rs 2,583 crore and spanning 36.52 lakh square feet, will incorporate changes suggested by judicial authorities. Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj has instructed consultants to finalise the drawings and directed contractors to adhere to the schedule to avoid delays. Senior R&B officials recently conducted a site visit to review the progress of construction.