Telangana High Court Halts Marriage Scheme Payments Amid Legal Challenge
The Telangana High Court has suspended the state's Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak marriage assistance schemes until September 9. The court's decision follows a legal challenge questioning the schemes' statutory basis and financial allocation.
Key takeaways
- The Telangana High Court has temporarily stopped the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak marriage assistance schemes.
- The court's order is in effect until September 9.
- A legal petition challenges the schemes' lack of legislative sanction and the basis for eligibility criteria.
- Concerns were raised about the schemes' funding from the State's Consolidated Funds potentially violating constitutional articles.
- The state government requested more time to file a response to the petition.
The Telangana High Court has ordered a halt to the operation and disbursement of funds for the state government's Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes. The court's interim order will remain in effect until September 9.
The suspension was issued by Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar in response to a petition filed by advocate Vijay Gopal. The petitioner argues that the schemes, governed by eight government orders (GOs), lack legislative or statutory approval. Gopal further contended that the eligibility criteria, such as income limits, were established without a proper legal framework.
The petition also asserts that the expenditure from the State's Consolidated Funds for these schemes violates several articles of the Indian Constitution, including Articles 202(3), 204(3), 266(3), and 283(2). Advocate Raj Gopal supported these arguments, emphasizing that any governmental initiative to support societal sections must align with legislative powers and that public fund utilization requires clear justification under Article 202.
The petitioner stated that the government has not cited any legislative provisions supporting the launch and continuation of these schemes since 2014. The government's counsel requested additional time to submit a counter-affidavit addressing the petitioner's concerns, a request that was granted during a previous hearing on August 8.
Sources reviewed
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