Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday criticised the State government for releasing portions of the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project before it was tabled in the Assembly, calling the move “overzealous and inappropriate.”
A division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, hearing writ petitions filed by BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, directed the government to withdraw the 60-page excerpt from all public domains.
The judges questioned the propriety of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy holding a press conference to publicise the report before its formal presentation in the Legislature. While the petitioners sought suspension of the report, the Bench declined to grant any stay.
The Advocate General assured the court that the full report would be placed before the Assembly and that any action would follow only after debate. Dismissing the petitioners’ concerns, the court said fears of immediate action based on the findings were “misplaced.”
The Bench, however, noted a serious lapse by the commission for making allegations without issuing mandatory notices under Sections 8B and 9C of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, which require a fair opportunity to those under scrutiny.
The State was directed to file a counter within four weeks, with petitioners allowed one week thereafter to respond. The matter will be heard further after completion of pleadings. (NSS)
