Telangana high court pulls up officials over delay in implementing orders | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Tuesday came down heavily on govt officials for failing to implement its orders on time, warning of stringent action against officers who seek to evade court proceedings on untenable grounds. The court also expressed strong displeasure over a request to exempt an official from personal appearance on the ground that he was accompanying a minister on an official tour.Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy, hearing a contempt petition alleging delay in refunding money to two businessmen despite an earlier court order, warned that such exemption requests would not be entertained in future.“If such an exemption petition is filed again, it would be rejected the same day and an arrest warrant would be issued (to the officials concerned),” the judge observed.“It is not your money. It is the petitioner’s money. You have no right to keep it even for a single day or a single minute. Why are you not refunding it?” the court asked.However, after being informed that the amount due to the petitioners had been deposited, the high court held that no further action was required and closed the contempt petition.The high court had, in Dec 2024, directed the chief commissioner of land administration (CCLA) to refund ₹45.10 lakh paid by the petitioners towards land conversion charges for converting agricultural land to non-agricultural use in Korremula near Ghatkesar.Alleging non-compliance with the order, the petitioners subsequently moved the court with a contempt plea.During the hearing, the court noted that despite issuance of notices, officials had failed to implement its directions, prompting it at an earlier hearing to issue bailable warrants against them.Initially, the govt pleader informed the court that CCLA D Lokesh Kumar could not appear as he was accompanying a minister on tour. However, after the court declined to grant exemption, the official appeared virtually and informed the bench that the finance department had processed the payment and credited the amount to the petitioners’ accounts.Recording the submission, the bench closed the contempt case. It also directed that court orders be communicated to the departments concerned and senior officials.“Do not take court cases lightly. Seeking exemption from court appearance on the ground that one is on a minister’s tour should not happen again,” the court observed.The bench further cautioned that officials could face serious consequences for delays in complying with court orders and advised govt pleaders to properly guide officers on court matters and the timely implementation of judicial directions.