Telangana HC Suspends Order to Remove HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath

HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath received interim relief from the Telangana High Court on Tuesday after a division bench suspended an earlier order that had called for his removal from the post. The case stems from a dispute over the protection of 119 acres of government land in the Secunderabad Cantonment area. The division bench, hearing Ranganath's challenge to the order of a single judge, stayed the directions issued earlier and posted the matter for further hearing on November 3.

Ranganath had approached the division bench challenging the single judge's order. Senior Supreme Court advocate and former Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Justice Rajiv Shakdher appeared for the HYDRA Commissioner and presented detailed arguments. After hearing submissions from both sides, the division bench suspended the directions that had asked the state government to remove Ranganath and appoint another officer in his place.

The dispute centres on nearly 119 acres of government land under GLR No. 243 within the Secunderabad Cantonment limits. According to HYDRAA, the land is classified as B-2 land and had been allocated by the Cantonment to the state government for public purposes, including hospitals, schools and other government facilities. HYDRAA has maintained that the land belongs to the state government and that protecting it is the government's responsibility.

Acting on a request from revenue authorities, HYDRAA erected fencing around the 119-acre land parcel in the Tirumalagiri-Alwal area on July 18. The agency said Defence Estate officials had also confirmed that the land belonged to the government. Officials reportedly provided the relevant land coordinates and a KML file, including details identifying the land through Google Earth.

HYDRAA has argued that private land in Survey Nos. 1 and 2 at Lothukunta, in Alwal mandal of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, lies nearly three kilometres away from the government land covered under GLR No. 243. It alleged that Shantha Sriram Constructions, while claiming permissions for land in Survey Nos. 1 and 2, was carrying out construction activity on government land within GLR No. 243.

The company approached the High Court claiming rights over the disputed land and filed a contempt petition against HYDRAA. A contempt case was also initiated against Ranganath in his personal capacity.

During the earlier hearing, the single judge made observations regarding the Commissioner's functioning and directed the state Chief Secretary to remove him as HYDRAA Commissioner and appoint another officer. With the division bench now suspending those directions, Ranganath has received temporary relief. The case will next be heard on November 3.