HC orders police to produce Medchal-Malkajgiri collector in court on Nov 25 | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Taking a stern view of Medchal-Malkajgiri district collector Manu Choudary’s failure to appear before the court in compliance with its earlier directions, Telangana high court on Wednesday ordered the Malkajgiri police commissioner to produce him before the court on the next date of hearing, Nov 25.“The Malkajgiri police commissioner is directed to ensure the presence of Medchal-Malkajgiri district collector before this court on the next date of hearing,” Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy said on Wednesday, while hearing a contempt case filed against the collector and adjourned the matter to Nov 25.The petitioner, Koduru Arjuna Rao, alleged that the collector had not considered his representations, as directed by the court, regarding the authorities taking over around five acres of his land at Bachupally by treating it as ceiling land under the Telangana Land Reforms (Ceiling on Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973, and challenged the manner in which possession of the land was taken by govt.The petitioner subsequently moved a contempt petition. On earlier occasions, the court had directed the collector to inquire afresh into the matter, take a decision, appear before the court and explain the procedure followed for taking possession of the petitioner’s land.Twice in the past, the collector was granted exemption from physical appearance and, on Oct 27, the court ordered the district collector, along with the revenue divisional officer (RDO) concerned, to explain the factual and legal position of the proceedings and the procedure followed while taking possession of the land.However, the collector sought exemption from personal appearance, citing his preoccupation with election-related duties, special intensive revision of electoral rolls and other administrative assignments.The judge pointed out that “the collector’s explanation, particularly with regard to his preoccupation with official duties, does not constitute sufficient ground to dispense (exempt) with his presence, especially when this court has specifically directed his appearance in person.”Further, the judge noted that the collector had earlier obtained exemption from personal appearance on two occasions, and that despite a specific direction requiring his presence along with the RDO (Land Reforms Tribunal), he had once again sought dispensation on the ground of official duties.“In the above circumstances, this court is not inclined to accept the reasons assigned by him,” the judge said and issued directions to the police commissioner to ensure the collector’s presence in the court on the next hearing date.