The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Justice Panduranga Rao not overburdened’

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Saturday, Aug 04, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Justice Panduranga Rao not overburdened’

Legal Correspondent

Division Bench reserves judgement on Mudigonda petition

‘Give protection from trigger-happy police in the State’
‘Writ petitions filed for political motives cannot be entertained’

HYDERABAD: The question of whether or not I. Panduranga Rao, former High Court judge, was saddled with the burden of several inquiries dominated the hearing of writ petition on Mudigonda police firing by a Division Bench of the High Court on Friday.

The bench later declared that the arguments in the writ petition filed by TDP leader P. N. V. Prasad were over and reserved the judgement.

When the case was called on Friday, the counsel for the petitioner, S. Ramachandra Rao, complained that Justice Panduranga Rao was already burdened with many inquiries ordered under the Commission of Inquiry Act. No useful purpose would be achieved with such Commissions which could only make recommendations without any substantial relief.

The bench did not want to harp on this issue as the judge is not a party to the case. It wanted to know how many inquiries were still pending with Justice Panduranga Rao. After some time, Advocate General C. V. Mohan Reddy informed the court that except the one ordered yesterday the retired judge was not burdened with any other inquiry as contended by the petitioner.

It may be recalled that the bench asked for report from Khammam District Judge and affidavit from Director General of Police while dealing with a writ petition.

Mr. Ramachandra Rao read out portions of the affidavit of the DGP, report of the District Judge and the District Collector and the order of the Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission. He pleaded with the court to give protection from the “trigger-happy police in the State”. He recalled how the police have been killing people and cited the latest incident of police firing in old city of Hyderabad after bomb blast in Mecca Masjid.

Political motives

Advocate General said such writ petitions filed for political motives can not be entertained by the courts.

Pointing out that the petitioner sought for a prayer for invoking Article 356 of Constitution, he said no relief could be granted in such petition.

The State had recognised the fact that police force was used in excess and had taken all the measures under the law.

The policemen concerned have been suspended and any further adjudication and orders from the court may hamper further steps being taken by the Government.

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