Justice A. Ramalingeswar Rao of the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday permitted the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) to withdraw the writ petition filed by it wherein it challenged the attitude of police in not permitting the rally/dharna proposed by it in the city on Wednesday to highlight the problem of unemployment.
This anti-climax came around evening when the police said that the meeting could not be held at Nizam College etc., but could be held at Nagole only. When the judge took on record this statement, counsel for the petitioner requested the court to permit withdrawal of the case.
The intense high-tension sequence of events started in the morning when Ms Rachana Reddy, counsel for the TJAC, said that the organisation was ready to hold the protest either at Nizam College, NTR Stadium, Osmania University campus, or LB Stadium. She was responding to the suggestion made by the judge on Monday.
The judge had on Monday asked the JAC to consider postponing the meeting to Sunday or hold it at alternative places suggested by the police. On Tuesday, she said the petitioner was not in a position to postpone the rally in view of Maha Sivaratri on Friday and the petitioner intended to hold the meeting on OU Campus if not Nizam College.
The judge said the petitioner could make representation regarding the OU campus and adjourned the case to 3.30 p.m. The police reported back, saying it was not possible as it could be exploited by extremist elements. The court was told that the High Court in the year 2016 had granted stay on holding any sort of meetings on the campus. It was informed that the police and State Government were not against democratic dissent and the police refused permission based on intelligence inputs received by them. The police conceded the meeting at Nagole grounds and were prepared to make appropriate security arrangements. Counsel for the petitioner said the court may permit withdrawal of the case.
