The Telangana High Court extended the interim protection granted to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, former Chief Secretary SK Joshi, and senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal on Tuesday, October 7. The protection relates to the writ petitions challenging the Justice PC Ghose Commission report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin expressed displeasure over the state government’s delay in filing counter-affidavits, observing that sufficient time had already been allotted for the task.
While the court had originally fixed October 7 for the completion of pleadings, the Advocate General, appearing for the State, sought an additional two weeks to submit the counters. Allowing the request, the bench cautioned that the pleadings must be completed by the next date of hearing. It further directed that the petitioners would subsequently be given two weeks to file their replies, should they be required.
The court clarified that the interim protection granted to the petitioners would remain in force until the next hearing, which is scheduled for November 12.
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