Hyderabad: Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao of the Telangana High Court granted interim relief to 19 vocational junior colleges by permitting consideration of their affiliation renewal applications for 2026-27, subject to payment of Rs 50,000 by each college, despite their challenge to a Rs 1 lakh penalty imposed by the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE). The Judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by Gomthami Vocational Junior College, Siddipet district, and 18 other institutions questioning the action of the TSBIE in imposing a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on each college and preventing them from submitting online applications for renewal of affiliation for the academic year 2026-27. The petitioners contended that the Board’s online portal did not permit submission of renewal applications unless the penalty amount was paid. They sought a declaration that the action of the authorities was illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and contrary to the principles of natural justice.
The colleges also sought removal of the penalty from the online system and permission to submit applications for renewal of affiliation. Counsel for the petitioners argued that the impugned action effectively denied the institutions an opportunity to obtain renewal of affiliation for the ensuing academic year and jeopardised their academic operations. After hearing the parties, the Court ordered notice to the district intermediate authorities and others and directed the respondents to consider the petitioners’ applications for affiliation for the academic year 2026-27, subject to each institution depositing Rs 50,000 on or before June 1, 2026 and fulfilling the other prescribed eligibility criteria.
HC: Release gratuity to ex-seed official
Justice T. Madhavi Devi of the Telangana High Court directed the Telangana State Seeds Development Corporation Ltd. to release gratuity and leave encashment benefits to a retired district manager, holding that disciplinary proceedings could not continue after retirement in the absence of any provision in the applicable service rules. The writ petition was filed by J. Sudarshan Reddy, a retired seed officer and district manager of the corporation, challenging the withholding of his retirement benefits on the ground of pending disciplinary proceedings.
The petitioner contended that he retired from service on July 3, 2014, and that the corporation lacked authority to continue the inquiry or withhold his benefits after his superannuation. Counsel for the respondents opposed the plea, alleging that the petitioner caused substantial financial loss to the corporation and contending that the departmental proceedings could continue notwithstanding his retirement. After examining the record, the Judge observed that the Discipline and Appeal Rules applicable to the corporation did not contain any provision permitting initiation or continuation of disciplinary proceedings after an employee retired from service. The court noted that the respondents failed to point out any rule authorising continuation of the proceedings beyond the date of retirement. Observing that the disciplinary proceedings could not be sustained after the retirement of the petitioner, the court held that the withholding of gratuity and leave encashment was unsustainable. Accordingly, the court directed the respondents to release the gratuity and leave encashment amounts due to the petitioner and further awarded interest at six per cent per annum from the date of filing of the writ petition until payment.
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