HYDERABAD: In a relief to University of Hyderabad (UoH), the Telangana high court on Wednesday restrained the state from taking away a portion of the varsity land and ordered status quo. The HC also slammed the state for the shabby treatment meted out to the prestigious central varsity in the city.
“On one hand you display a hostile attitude towards central institutions; on the other hand, you accuse the Union government of not sanctioning central educational institutions as promised in the bifurcation Act,” a bench of Acting Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice T Vinod Kumar said as it issued notices to state and revenue officials in the appeal filed by the university challenging the government action to take over a 25-acre plot in UoH.
When counsel MV Pratap Kumar, appearing for one of the landowners, pointed out that the row was limited to four acres as the university too has no objection in respect of rest 21 acres, the bench said that its status quo was applicable only to these four acres.
The bench, however, cautioned the state counsel, “If you keep taking away their land, how will any central institution come here? If you continue this hostile attitude, we will advise the central university to take up the issue with the Union HRD ministry. Then the Centre will think twice before sanctioning any new institution to Telangana.”
The case stems from a row over a 25-acre plot right in the middle of the varsity land. A single judge had earlier dismissed the university’s petition on the ground that state erroneously included 25 acres of private patta land in the 2,300 acres allotted to it in 1974 at Kancha Gachibowli village in Serilingampalli mandal. A civil court too had ruled in favour of the private owners.
While the case was on, the university sought the state’s consent to hand over a 12-acre plot near the road in lieu of the 25 acres.
The state, however, rejected this and subsequently issued GO Ms No. 1473 in December 2008 resuming land to the extent of 25 acres on the university periphery to give it to private owners in lieu of 25 acres in the middle of UoH.
University, however, termed it as unilateral action by state without its consent.
The bench sought counters from the authorities and posted the case to November 8.
