High Court cancels Muslim quota

The AP High Court in a majority decision on Monday struck down as unsustainable the legislation providing four per cent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs to backward groups among Muslims.

A seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anil R. Dave was divided 5-2 and provided three dif- ferent decisions while striking down the legislation.

Justice Dave while pronouncing the verdict on his behalf and on behalf of Justice A. Gopal Reddy, Justice V. Eswaraiah and Justice G. Raghuram opin- ed that the legislation failed to define the expressions “

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T-panel to be set up in a week, says PC

The Union government will appoint a high level committee headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of the High Court in the first week of February to study the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

The committee, which will have experts on irrigation, agriculture and finance, besides senior officials from home and law ministry, will be asked to study the issue scientifically and submit its report in three months, sources said.

"If all goes well, we should have a committee by the end of this week," said the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, who declined to reveal the names of its members.

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Maytas contests termination

Maytas Infra limited filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the termination of the concession agreement by the state government for the proposed Hyderabad Metro Rail Project.

Mr Bandaru Narasimha Rao, director, Maytas Infra, filed the petition stating that the government forfeited the bid security amount of Rs 60 crore and bid offer amount of Rs 11 crores submitted by them. He said that the government also purported to ground the project by inviting bids afresh.

He contended that the action of the government was unreasonable and did not take into account the hindrances and hurdles which were beyond their control.

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Demolish, Don't regularise

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed the State government not to regularise unauthorised constructions till further orders.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A.R. Dave and Justice R. Subhash Reddy passed the interim orders while hearing a petition filed by Mr K.H.V. Prasad challenging the government's Building Penalisation Scheme.

"No person shall put up construction in violation of the sanctioned plan," said the court. "And those who submitted applications under the ordinance, their constructions shall not be demolished."

The court added that unauthorised constructions made after December 15, 2007, should be demolished in accordance with law. It had earlier directed the government to accept applications and continue inspection of unauthorised constructions. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has fixed March 31 as the deadline for receiving applications for BPS.

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