Shock to Key Telangana Schemes.. High Court Issues Sensational Orders!

The Telangana High Court has issued interim orders staying the implementation of the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes. The court stayed the implementation of eight government orders issued since 2014 in connection with the schemes and directed that no payments be made to beneficiaries selected under those GOs. Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar heard a petition filed by advocate Vijay Gopal in his individual capacity challenging the government orders. The petitioner argued that the GOs governing the schemes lacked constitutional validity. The schemes were launched in 2014 to provide financial assistance to unmarried women from SC, ST and minority communities and were subsequently extended to BC and EBC categories.

The petitioner argued that the schemes were being implemented without adequate statutory backing and that the basis for fixing eligibility criteria, including income limits, had not been clearly established. He contended that spending large amounts of public funds on the schemes without legislative backing was unconstitutional. During the hearing, the judge noted that the Advocate General had earlier assured the court that a counter explaining the legal basis of the schemes would be filed, but no counter had been submitted so far. As the government counsel sought additional time, the court stayed the implementation of the GOs and directed the authorities to file their counters. The matter has been posted for further hearing on September 9.