HC vacates order on GO 208

Court satisfied with govt. explanation on money released under the order

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar received relief on Friday with the Telangana High Court vacating its earlier order issued nine days ago not to release any funds under GO (Routine) 208 towards ‘expenses for contempt of court cases faced by the CS’. Observing that the court got clarification on the amounts of money sanctioned under GO 208, a bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy vacated its earlier direction issued after hearing a PIL petition on GO 208. The plea was filed by a lecturer and social activist Prabhakar Chouti seeking to declare GO 208 as illegal and arbitrary. The petitioner contended that Telangana government issued GO 208 allocating ₹58.95 crore for the expenses to face contempt of court cases pending against Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar who also holds the posts of Revenue Secretary and Chief Commissioner of Land Administration. The GO was issued by Revenue department.