HYDERABAD: The high court on Wednesday directed the state government to issue an addendum to its wrongly worded GO No. 208 explaining the true purpose of the Rs 59 crore it proposes to release.
A bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a PIL filed by Prabhakar Chouti, a lecturer from Mahbubnagar district, questioning the GO issued by chief secretary Somesh Kumar on June 7, 2021. According to petitioner’s counsel Mayur Mundra, the GO was issued granting Rs 59 crore towards legal expenses for defending the CS and CCLA in nearly 200 contempt cases which charged them with violation of court orders.
The bench earlier stayed the release of funds through this GO. The CS later filed an affidavit saying that this money was meant for paying compensation to the people whose land and properties were acquired and in cases where execution petitions were filed seeking implementation of court orders granting them compensation.
“Look at the tone and tenor of the GO. Very misleading. This gives an impression that this money was meant for defending the CS in contempt cases. Better issue a corrigendum,” the bench said.
Advocate general BS Prasad explained that the references portion of the GO did speak about the true purpose of the GO. The bench said that the language deployed in the GO was very misleading and sought an addendum to the GO. The case was adjourned to August 13.
