Hearing on pleas against review of TDP govt. decisions posted to Sept. 7

Court turns down petitioners’ request for interim order

The High Court posted to September 7 the hearing on writ petitions filed by TDP leaders Varla Ramaiah and Alapati Rajendra Prasad against the

constitution of the Cabinet sub-committee for reviewing the major policies, projects, programmes, institutions and key administrative actions since bifurcation and the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for the stated purpose.

A single-judge bench, comprising Justice T. Rajani, heard the matter and turned down the petitioners' plea for an interim order.

The TDP leaders sought a stay on G.O. Nos 1411 and 344 through which the Cabinet sub-committee and SIT were constituted, mainly on the ground that the policy decisions taken by a government cannot be scrutinised by the subsequent government and there is no provision for such a review in the Constitution.

They insisted that the executive actions of a government would always be prospective and not retrospective and the people's mandate in favour of the party which comes to power does not include a review or re-examination of policy decisions of the outgoing government.

Besides, the impugned GOs lacked a material basis as there was no debate or discussion of the subject in the Assembly preceding their issuance.

The government cannot embark on a review of the policy decisions taken before May 30, 2019 when Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took over the reigns as the Chief Minister.

The said GOs are, therefore, arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional, the TDP leaders have pleaded and maintained that the SIT, which is a body of police officers, is not competent to probe the policy decisions taken by the previous party in governance.