Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday suspended a single judge’s order directing the removal of HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath from his post.
A division bench granted relief to the HYDRAA commissioner while hearing his appeal against the earlier order. The bench also suspended the direction to the State government to appoint another officer in his place.
The case concerned the protection of government land in GLR 243 in the Secunderabad Cantonment area. The division bench heard arguments from senior Supreme Court counsel and former Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher, who appeared for Ranganath.
After hearing the arguments, the division bench suspended the single judge’s order. The court adjourned further hearing of the case to November 3.
The order provided immediate relief to the HYDRAA commissioner in the ongoing dispute over government land in the Cantonment area.
HYDRAA commissioner challenged order over 119 acres
The dispute relates to 119 acres of government land listed under GLR 243 in the Secunderabad Cantonment limits. The Cantonment authorities had earmarked the B-2 land for State government requirements, including hospitals and schools.
The State government holds rights over the land and also has responsibility for its protection. Accordingly, HYDRAA fenced the 119-acre property on July 18 in the Tirumalagiri-Alwal area.
Defence Estate officials had also confirmed that the land belonged to the government. They provided coordinates and a KML file marking the property on Google Earth.
HYDRAA said it protected the land following a request from revenue officials. However, a dispute arose over private properties in Survey Nos. 1 and 2 at Lothkunta in Alwal mandal.
According to HYDRAA, the private lands in Survey Nos. 1 and 2 and the 119-acre government property under GLR 243 lie about three kilometres apart.
Shantha Sriram Constructions allegedly obtained permissions for properties in the Lothkunta survey numbers but carried out construction on government land under GLR 243, according to the material provided by HYDRAA.
The company approached the High Court claiming rights over the government land. It also filed a contempt case against HYDRAA and a separate contempt petition against the HYDRAA commissioner.
During the proceedings, the single judge issued directions concerning Ranganath’s position as HYDRAA commissioner. The judge directed the State Chief Secretary to remove him from the post and appoint another officer.
Ranganath subsequently challenged the direction before the division bench. Following Tuesday’s hearing, the bench suspended the earlier order and fixed November 3 for the next hearing.