Hyderabad: A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state governments to take appropriate action regarding the collection of quarterly tax from the owners of commercial vehicles. The bench was dealing with two petitions by owners of contract buses from Krishna and Kadapa districts.

The petitioners submitted that on June 1, 2014, during President Rule, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had issued a GO declaring that the quarterly tax being paid on goods and passenger vehicles shall be deemed to have been paid in both the states till March 31, 2015. They said that as the validity of the GO expires on March 31 they apprehended that the Telangana government will insist on payment of tax. They submitted representations to the transport department not to insist on payment of tax.

They urged the court to direct the government not to insist on payment of tax as long as Hyderabad remains combined capital. Terming the petitions as premature, the bench closed the matter and directed both the governments to pass appropriate orders.

HC upset with Telangana, AP on flexis

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure at the status reports submitted by the governments of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh on steps taken for the removal of unauthorised statues, flexis, cut-outs, hoardings and banners of political leaders and celebrities in public places by observing that the reports were not proper.

The bench granted 15 days' time for both the states to remove unauthorised installations. The bench was dealing with a petition by S. Murali Krishna of Prakasam district in 2008 challenging the digging of pits for a statue by encroaching 15-foot space of the road leading from the National Highway No. 5 to the villages of Mukthinuthalapadu and Gudimillapadu.

Telangana A-G K. Ramakrishna Reddy said that followers of political leaders, celebrities and VIPs were resorting to unauthorised installations. However, the bench cautioned that the court will act on its own if the governments do not take action.

The bench asked AP A-G P. Venugopal to come out with facts with regard to Rajahmundry City and initiate steps to remove unauthorised installations if any.