The High Court admitting the PIL has found the petition prima facie tenable and sought details of the certificate issued by the AP state government. The certificate confirmed that Gopala Krishna is 45% physically handicapped allowing him to secure the third rank and also the coveted IAS post. The court gave three weeks time to the respondents to file counter affidavits, posted further hearing after three weeks.
Gopala Krishna Ronanki, from Parasamba village of Palasa block in Srikakulam district rose to national fame as he achieved the distinction despite of his social and economic background. Son of underprivileged agricultural labourers, Ronanki Appa Rao and Rukminamma, he has to borrow money to attend UPSC Board interview at New Delhi. Ronanki, is a product of government schools and also works as a teacher in a government school.
He became famous in Telugu states as he did schooling in Telugu medium and also wrote the civils in Telugu and gave the interview in Telugu with the help of an interpreter.