[Cites 4, Cited by 0]
Telangana High Court
A. Gattu Yadav vs The State Of Telangana on 8 April, 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL
WRIT PETITION No.10749 of 2026
Dated: 08.04.2026
Between:
A.Gattu Yadav ... Petitioner
And
The State of Telangana,
Rep. by its Principal Secretary,
Home Department, Secretariat,
Hyderabad and two (2) others ... Respondents
ORDER:
The present Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of
Constitution of India for the following relief/s:-
''... to issue an appropriate writ order or direction more
particularly one in the nature of writ of Mandamus
declaring the action of the Respondent No.2 herein in
issuing the Impugned Proceedings C.No.121/SB-XI/
WNPY/2026 dated:07-04-2026 cancelling the permission
granted by the 3rd Respondent herein vide Proceedings
No.73/Mike/SDPO-WNP/2026 dated: 03-04-2026
for conduct of Public Meeting of BRS Party at Dharna
Chowk, Gollapally Village gate of Revally Mandal on
09.04.2026 from 05:00 pm to 09:00 pm as being illegal,
arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Article 14,
19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of Constitution of India and
consequently set aside the Proceedings C.No.121/SB-
XI/WNPY/2026 dated:07-04-2026 issued by the 2nd
Respondent and pass such other and further orders ..."
2. Heard Mr.T.V.Ramana Rao, learned counsel for the
petitioner and Mr.Mahesh Raje, learned Government Pleader
for Home appearing for respondents. Perused the record.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner is the District President of BRS Political Party,
Wanaparthy District, Telangana State. On 03.04.2026, the
BRS Party had made an application to respondent No.3
seeking permission to organize a Public meeting and to use
Mike/Box type speaker at Dharna Chowk, Gollapally Village
gate, Revally Mandal, Wanaparthy District and requested the
Police to arrange adequate Police bandobast to maintain law
and order in order to ensure peaceful conduct of Public
meeting. He submits that the said meeting would be attended
by Sri T.Harish Rao, MLA, Siddipet Assembly Constituency
and former Irrigation Minister of Telangana State and
Sri S.Niranjan Reddy, former Minister of Telangana State
along with other public representatives.
4. He contends that respondent No.3, vide Proceedings
No.73/Mike/SDPO-WNP/2026 dated 03.04.2026 granted
permission for conduct of Public meeting of BRS Party at
Dharna Chowk, Gollapally Village gate of Revally Mandal on
09.04.2026 from 05:00 P.M. to 09:00 P.M. by imposing (26)
conditions. While so, surprisingly, without affording an
opportunity of hearing to the petitioner, respondent No.2 had
issued the impugned proceedings vide C.No.121/SB-XI/WN
PY/2026 dated:07.04.2026 i.e., yesterday cancelling the
permission granted by respondent No.3 by stating as follows:-
"Whereas, present Law & Order situations and
circumstances, it is considered necessary to take
preventive measures in the interest of maintenance of
public order and transquility.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under
relevant provisions of law, the permission granted vide
reference 1st cited is hereby cancelled with immediate
effect."
5. He further contends that respondent No.3 had not
assigned any specific cogent reason for passing the impugned
proceedings and that the same curtails the fundamental right
to speech guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and Article
19(1)(b) of Constitution of India. Relying on the order dated
21.11.2024 passed by this Court in W.P.No.32799 of 2024
and the order dated 22.01.2025 passed by this Court in
W.P.No.1518 of 2025, he seeks the indulgence of this Court to
pass appropriate orders.
6. Learned Government Pleader for Home, by furnishing the
copy of written instructions dated 08.04.2026 addressed by
respondent No.2 contends that as per the intelligence inputs
and the credible information, there is likelihood of
mobilization of about 7,000 to 10,000 persons in the meeting
which is far exceeding the permitted strength. Hence, there is
a possibility of creating serious risk of crowd mismanagement
and break down of law and order in the Village. He further
states that public safety is of paramount importance and
such kind of meetings may lead to re-occurrence of past
incidents as were stated to have been reported in Lagacherla
Village, thereby leading to potential and rapid escalation of
violence.
7. He further states that involvement of one Sri Dodla
Ramulu, a local political functionary is stated to be heading
the agitation. The said individual is a rowdy sheeter with
multiple criminal antecedents, including offences relating to
unlawful assembly, rioting, obstruction of public servants and
other serious violations which demonstrate a pattern of
conduct prejudicial to public order. He further states that the
State is duty bound to take preventive measures where there
exists reasonable apprehension of disturbance to public peace
and tranquility. Hence, the impugned proceedings dated
07.04.2026 are passed by respondent No.2 as a preventive
measure to maintain public safety and convenience. Stating
so, he seeks to dismiss the Writ Petition.
8. A bare reading of the impugned proceedings dated
07.04.2026 passed by respondent No.2 shows that,
respondent No.2 has not assigned any specific valid and
cogent reasons for cancelling the permission granted to the
petitioner for conducting Public meeting except stating that it
is a preventive measure to maintain public order and
transquility at Dharna Chowk, Gollapally Village Gate, Revally
Mandal. In so far as the aspect of participation of 7,000-
10,000 persons in the meeting is concerned, it is the duty of
official respondents to take steps to arrange more number of
police personnel for smooth conduct of meeting in order to
ensure that there shall not be breach of peace and tranquility.
Rather, imposing complete restriction for organizing Meeting
cannot be appreciated. Therefore, the grounds of rejection, in
the opinion of this Court, are unwarranted.
9. In view of the above, the Writ Petition is allowed and the
impugned proceedings vide C.No.121/SB-XI/WNPY/2026
dated 07.04.2026 issued by respondent No.2 are set aside.
The petitioner is directed to conduct the public meeting on
09.04.2026 from 05:00 P.M. to 09:00 P.M. by strictly adhering
to the conditions imposed by respondent No.3. It is made
clear this order shall not preclude the official respondents to
take appropriate action, strictly in accordance with law, in
case of violation of law and order, in conducting the meeting.
10. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is allowed. There shall be
no order as to costs.
Miscellaneous Petitions, pending if any, shall stand
closed.
____________________________
JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL
08.04.2026
Note:
Issue CC today.
B/o. ESP
