Telangana Government Prepares High Court Appeal to Defend HYDRAA Commissioner
State officials plan to challenge a judicial directive ordering the removal of Commissioner A.V. Ranganath following contempt proceedings. The administration maintains its commitment to the agency’s anti-encroachment mission despite scrutiny over an operation in Lothkunta.
Administration Resists Judicial Order on Leadership Shuffle
The Telangana government intends to petition a Division Bench of the High Court to contest a recent ruling seeking the removal of IPS officer A.V. Ranganath as Commissioner of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA). On July 27, 2026, Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti directed the Chief Secretary to replace Ranganath with a different official. Government sources indicate they will not act until Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy returns from New Delhi to review the matter in a high-level meeting.
Lothkunta Demolition Sparks Contempt Proceedings
The judicial directive follows a series of contempt cases involving a 40-acre land parcel in Lothkunta. Shanta Sriram Constructions Private Limited alleged that HYDRAA personnel ignored existing court orders during a July operation. The petitioner described an aggressive intervention involving nearly 200 personnel and 50 vehicles. Specific claims of property damage include:
- Demolition of tin sheet structures on the premises
- Destruction of office containers and furniture
- Removal of infrastructure which the agency claimed occupied government land
Political Fallout and State Defense
Legal experts suggest the state will request an immediate stay on the order to protect the agency's operational continuity. While Congress leaders argue the agency remains the primary deterrent against the illegal occupation of Hyderabad’s lakes and public roads, the opposition has seized on the court's intervention. N. Ramachander Rao of the BJP called for the total dissolution of HYDRAA, while BRS representatives claimed the ruling validates their stance that the agency disproportionately affects middle-class and low-income residents rather than elite encroachers.
Source: The Hindu — Home
