Telangana HC directs notices to Kavuri Hills residents to be treated as show cause notices

Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao has directed that notices issued by the Deputy Collector and Tahsildar to Kavuri Hills residents regarding alleged encroachments on the Full Tank Level (FTL) limits of Durgam Cheruvu be treated as show cause notices.

By Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: A two judge bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao has directed that notices issued by the Deputy Collector and Tahsildar to Kavuri Hills residents regarding alleged encroachments on the Full Tank Level (FTL) limits of Durgam Cheruvu be treated as show cause notices.

The court’s decision addresses a batch of writ petitions filed by Kavuri Hills residents who challenged notices issued on August 3. These notices had ordered the removal of structures encroaching on the FTL limits of Durgam Cheruvu within 30 days, warning of further action if the encroachments were not addressed. The petitioners argued that the notices were issued without prior notice or an opportunity for a hearing, which they claimed violated the principles of natural justice.

The petitioners contended that the lack of prior notice and a chance to respond before the issuance of the notices was unlawful. In response, the Advocate General for the State proposed that the notices be treated as show cause notices, allowing the residents to submit their replies within a specified timeframe. The court taking consent of both the parties ordered that the impugned notices be considered as show cause notices. It granted the petitioners a two-week period to respond to the notices.