Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court on Monday directed Congress workers to file a fresh petition, challenging rejection of their application by Osmania University registrar for permission to convene a face-to-face interaction of students with their party president and MP Rahul Gandhi on the varsity premises.
Research scholar and Congress party spokesperson Manavatha Roy and three others moved a House Motion on Sunday seeking instruction to OU registrar to permit to convene the programme on May 7 at Tagore auditorium on OU campus. The petitioners stated that they had given a written representation to the registrar on April 22.
“The registrar neither granted permission nor gave any response,” the petitioners said.
They also stated they had to knock on the doors of the HC since the registrar did not respond to their representation, which was followed by personal visits to his office. Justice Vijaysen Reddy heard the House motion and initially directed the university authorities to consider the application of the petitioners for permission to organise the meeting.
“While the plea was about to be heard, I received a text message from the authorities stating that our application has been rejected,” Mr. Roy said.
Meanwhile, Government Pleader for Home T. Srikanth Reddy informed Justice Vijaysen Reddy that the university officials had already rejected the application to organise the interaction programme with Mr. Gandhi.
Since the OU officials had already turned down the application for the meeting, the judge disposed of the petition filed by Congress workers and asked them to file a fresh application challenging the rejection order.
“We will file a fresh application as per the direction of the HC which could be heard on Wednesday or Thursday,” said Mr. Roy.
