Clear footpaths of transformers, High Court tells Palike

The High Court on Thursday directed the BBMP to clear the footpaths in the City of all transformers within a week.Justice Ram Mohan Reddy directed the BBMP to furnish the list of transformers on footpaths and clear them within a week.

He gave the directions while hearing a petition by Ashwini Manoj Patil, who had moved the High Court seeking compensation from Bescom, following the death of her husband Manoj Patil, who was electrocuted on Church Street on May 18, 2013, after he came in contact with the fence of a transformer.

The Court has also asked the parties to explore possibilities whether the matter can be entrusted to the City Civil Court to record the evidence and give final findings to the court.

During the hearing, the court observed that Bescom was trying to suppress the facts. The court pointed out how the officials tried to hush up the matter.

Appointment of counsels

A petition challenging the recent appointment of designated senior counsels has been filed in the High Court. The petitioner, City based advocate T N Raghupathy, has sought that the notification appointing 15 designated senior counsels earlier this month be quashed.

The petitioner has contended that the process of appointing designated senior counsels is a violation of Section 16 of the Advocates Act, which says that the appointment should be made by full court, not by means of voting.

Prayers allowed

The High Court has allowed an interim prayer of Masjid-e-Zul-Noorain Trust, seeking directions to allow them to offer prayers at Marappa Garden in JC Nagar. Hearing a petition by the Trust, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy directed the JC Nagar police to allow the petitioners to pray at the venue in ward number 92.

The petitioners were prevented by the police from offering prayers through a notice issued on April 2, 2014, questioning whether they have a permission.

The Trust, which mainly comprises members of the Ahle Hadees community (a minority Sunni sect), said that they have permission to offer prayers peacefully from BBMP and from the Wakf Board.

The same was confirmed by the Wakf Board, when the police sought a clarification on June 26. However, the police refused to permit the petitioners to pray.

The petitioners contended that despite obtaining necessary permission and having purchased the place for the purpose of prayers, the police had refused to allow them to pray.

They contended that by doing so, the police had denied them rights granted under the Constitution of India.

The petitioners sought directions to the police not to prevent or obstruct them from using the scheduled property for religious activities.