Hyderabad:Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court will hear a writ plea challenging the rules framed by authorities at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad, concerning the handling of lost articles. The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by advocate Fizani Husain, who questioned the legality and constitutionality of the airport’s lost and found procedures. The petitioner was assailing the rules that prohibit victims or owners from entering the lost and found room and from viewing relevant CCTV footage to trace missing items. The petitioner alleged that these rules were arbitrary and led to harassment and depriving genuine owners of a fair opportunity to recover their belongings. The petitioner alleged that the airport authorities had not disclosed the procedure for the disposal of unclaimed lost articles, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. The petitioner sought a direction to the airport authorities to either recover her missing check-in bag, tagged with Indigo Airlines, or compensate her by paying `1.5 lakh towards the value of lost articles and `5 lakh for mental and physical harassment. The petitioner also sought a direction to the airport authorities to immediately amend their rules to allow victims direct access to CCTV footage and the lost and found room and to enhance security and vigilance measures at the airport. The judge ordered notice to the respondents.HC pulls up college for stopping studentJustice B. Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Monday reprimanded SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies for suspending a final year law student two hours before his final exam. The judge while hearing a lunch motion moved on Monday morning observed that the action taken by the college was “too harsh”. A writ plea was filed by Anand Raj, a law student in his tenth semester, contending that the communication made just before the exam was vindictive. Counsel for the petitioner S. Goutham argued that there was no opportunity afforded to Anand and that the suspension would adversely impact his academic progress, potentially resulting in the loss of an academic year. Answering a query from Justice Reddy, counsel brought to the notice of the court the incident of food poisoning that occurred at the university wherein some 170 students complained of stomach pain and nausea. Of them, 37 students showed aggravated symptoms like vomiting, dehydration and fever and needed hospitalisation as reported in the newspapers. The judge after perusing the records directed the institution to allow Anand to appear for the remaining examinations, which are set to conclude on May 6. Counsel requested the court to direct the college for reconducting the exam scheduled on April 28 for Anand. The judge directed counsel to serve personal notice on the college through email and Whatsapp and posted the matter for May 2.Plea alleges delay in cop postsJustice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao of the Telangana High Court took on file a writ plea challenging the inaction of the Staff Selection Commission in issuing appointment orders to selected candidates for constable (general duty) posts in forces such as Border Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) etc. The judge was hearing a writ petition filed by Syed Nagarwali and three others, who appeared for recruitment pursuant to notification dated October 27, 2022. The petitioners contended that despite their selection, the respondent authorities withheld their appointment orders on the ground of alleged biometric mismatch. The petitioners argued that the stand of the respondent authorities was illegal, arbitrary, and amounted to hostile discrimination. The petitioners contended that despite several months having elapsed, the verification process regarding biometrics was pending. The petitioners sought a direction to the Union home ministry and other authorities to forthwith issue appointment orders with all consequential benefits. The judge posted the matter for further hearing.HC: Eligibility norms mustn’t be changedJustice Nagesh Bheemapaka reiterated that eligibility criteria must be fulfilled as on the date of notification and cannot be altered midway through the recruitment process while setting aside the selection of several candidates for the post of art teachers in residential educational institutions societies (REIS). The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by Raghavapuram Srinu and nine others, who contended that ineligible individuals were included in the selection list. The petitioners, who applied for posts for Zones V and VI and narrowly missed the cut-off mark, sought the disqualification of candidates and their own inclusion in the selection list. The TGPSC issued the original notification requiring candidates to possess a technical certificate course (TCC) in drawing as of the notification date. It was found that several selected candidates specifically obtained their certificates only on April 26, 2017, after the notification date. The judge noted that possessing a lower-grade TCC was insufficient and that both lower and higher grades were necessary to complete the course, as clarified through information obtained under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The judge referred to a previous Supreme Court ruling and held that recruitment eligibility must remain consistent from the date of advertisement to the filling of vacancies unless changes are justified under existing rules and satisfy the test of non-arbitrariness under Article 14 of the Constitution. Accordingly, the judge allowed the writ petition, set aside the selection list to the extent it included unqualified candidates, and directed the authorities to include the eligible petitioners in the selection list in the 1:1 ratio.
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