Telangana High Court
WP/20567/2026 of Machika Ravinder Vs The State of Telangana on 20 July 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD (SPecial Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE TWENTIETH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENry SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NAMAVARAPU RAJESHWAR RAO WRIT PETITION NO:20567 0F 2026 Between: 1. Machika Ravinder, S/o. Ramaswamy, Aged
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD
(SPecial Original Jurisdiction)
MONDAY, THE TWENTIETH DAY OF JULY
TWO THOUSAND AND TWENry SIX
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NAMAVARAPU RAJESHWAR RAO
WRIT PETITION NO:20567 0F 2026
Between:
1. Machika Ravinder, S/o. Ramaswamy, Aged about 52 years' Occ Sgpalgn'
nyo. n. No. 3-141 , Muchimpula Village, Nallabelly Mandal' W-arangal. District'
2. puli Ramesn, Slo uoi fnown, ngej about 43 years, Occ. Sarpanch, Fl./o. H.
No. 1-101, Oastnagiri p;tly'Viilage, Nallabelly Mandal' Warangal Rural District.
3.JatothuRavi,S/o.Saraiah,Agedabout34years,occ.Sarpanch,R/o.H.No.
4-20, Gundla Pahad, Warangal District
^
^ --- --^L E /
a. rtfagerli Jyothi, D/o. gikir''r,pitnl' Aged about 44 years' occ Sarpanch' FJo Naiiabelly, Nallabelly Mandal, Warangal district
...PETITIONERS
AND
1. The State of Telangana, Rep' by its Principal Secretary, Transport, Roads and Buitding 1nn &-c.nr1'Department, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar secretariate Building, HYderabad.
2. The state of Telangana, Rep. by its Principal Secretary' PanchayatRaj and RuralDevelopmentDepartment,Dr'BRAmbedkarSecretariateBuilding'
Hyderabad
3. The District Collector, Warangal, Warangal District, Telangana State
4. The lVlanaging Direcior' iela"ngana Staie Housing Corporation Limited' H no 3-6-184, Street No r z-fiin1ay't-t'l'gar' Hyderabad' Telangana' lndia' 500029
5. The Project o"uerop'"nl6ffi"e''"no's1ng Corporation Warangal' Warangal District.
6.TheMandalDevelopmentofficer,Nallabelli,NallabelliMandal,Warangal District.
...RESPONDENTS
Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of lndia praying that in the circumstancesstatedintheaffidavitfiledtherewith'theHighCourlmaybepleased toissueaWrit,orderordirectionmoreparticularlyoneinthenatureofWRIToF
MANDAMUS/CERTIoRARl,declaringtheactionoftheRespondentauthoritiesin continuing the special officers as Chairman of INDIRAMMIi COMMITTEES under G.O.Ms.No.33 dated 1 1.10.2024 issued by Respondent no..l , to implement INDIRAMMA INDLU PROGRAMME at Gram Panchayat tevr:l despite avaitability of petitioners as elected Sarpanches, is illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable, unjust and also violation of 73rd constitutional amendment act more particularly in direct violation of Articles 1 4 and 243G of the Constitution of lndia, as well : s the provisions of the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 and consequently set aside the G.O.Ms. No. 33
dated 11 10 2024 issued by respondent no.1 and direct the Respondents to make the elected Sarpanches of the villages as Chairman of the INDIRAIVIVA
COIVN/ITTEES, for the purpose of beneficiary identlfication, setection, and social audit functions of the lndiramma lndlu scheme strictly thrcugh the constitutional framework of the Gram Sabha and the elected Gram Pancha,lat.
l.A. NO: 1 OF 2026
Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pteased to suspend the impugned G.O.Ms. No. 33 dated 11JO2O24 issued by Respondent no. .1, to implement INDIRAI/MA INDLU PROGRAMME at Gram panchayat level, pending drsposal of the Writ Petition.
Counsel for the Petitioners: SRI RAMAVARAM CHANDRASHEKAR REDDy Counsel for the Respondent No.1: GP FOR ROADS BUILDINGS
Counsel for the Respondent Nos.2,3 & 6: GP FOR GRAM pANCHAYATH
Counsel for the Respondent Nos.4 & 5: SRI M.KIRAN REDDy The Court made the following: ORDER
IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAI)
THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE NAIYIAVARAP'U RAJESHWAR RAO
WRIT PETITION NO.2O567 OF 2026
DATED .20.07.2o26
Between:
Mr.Machika Ravinder and others
... Petitioners
AND
The State of Telalgana rep. by its Principal Secretary, Transport, Roads & Building (RH & C.A1) Department, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, Secretariat Building, Hyderabad & others
... Respondents
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ORDER
This Writ Petition is filed to declare the action of the respondent authorities in continuing the Special Officers as Chairmen of the Indiramma Committees under G.O.Ms.No.33, dated I1.1O.2024, issued by respondent No.1, for implementing the Indiramma Indlu Programme at the Gram Palchayat level despite the availability of the petitioners, who are elected as Sarpalchs of different villages, as illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable, unjust, and violative of the 73'd Constitutional Amendment Act and more particularty in direct violation of -
Articles 14 and 243G of the Constitution of Ind a, as well as the provisions of the Telalgana Palchayat Raj Act, 2018, and consequently to set aside G.O.Ms.No.33, dated 11.1O.2024, issued by respondent No.1 ald also direct tht: respondents to appoint the elected Sarpanchs of the respective villages AS Chairman of the Indiramma Committees for the purpose of beneficiary identification, selection, and social audit functions under the Indiramma Indlu Scheme, strictly in accordance lvlth the constitutional frarnework of the Gram Sabha and the elected Gram Palchayat.
2. The brief facts of the case are that the petitioners a-re the dul1.- elected Sarpanches of Mucchinpulathancla, Dastagiripalli, Ba.[u Thanda, and Na11abelli Gram Panchar ats in Na-]labelli Mandal, Wararrgal District, having been elected in the Gram Panchayat General Elections held in December, 2025.
3. It is stated that the Government of 1'elalgana, under G.O.Ms.No.33, dated 11.1O.2024, introducecl the Indiramma Indlu Programme and constituted indiramma Committees at the Gram Panchayat level, with the Sarpanch/ Special Officer as the Chairman J
4. It is further stated that after the elected Sarpanches assumed office in December, 2025, the Special Oflicers ceased to hoid office. However, the respondents are continuing them as Chairmen of the Indiramma Committees, which is arbitrary, illega1, and contrary to Articles 14 ald 243G of the Constitution of India, the Telangana Panchayat Rqi Act, 2018, and the mandate of the 73'a Constitutional Amendment.
5. It is further stated that the impugned action of the respondents, in bypassing the Gram Sabha and the elected Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat in the selection of beneficiaries, is contrary to 1aw.
6. It is further stated that despite the petitioners' representation dated 01.06.2026, no action has been taken by the respondents. Hence, the writ petition. 7 . Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that, aJter the election of Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat, the Special Oflicers are acting upon the powers of the Sarpanch. To that extent, the petitioners made representations through Warangal District Prajavani and also submitted representations before the - authorities on O1.06.2026, including to respon,lent No.3 under the Palchayat Raj Act.
8. Learned counsel for the respondents rvould submit that as per Section 136(a) of the Gram Panchayat. Act, 2018, the Special Officer is having power to perform the functions of the Gram Panchayat
9. Section 136(a) of the Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 reads as follou's "The special ofhcer or person-in-charge or the (lommittee of persons-in-charge, appointed under sub-sectiorl (3) sha-il exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch until the m,)mbers arld Sarpanch elected thereof assume office."
10. In vieu, of the above provision, once it is the Sarpanch is elected the rights of the Special Officers come to an end. But, in the present case, even after the election of the Sarpanch also, the Special Officer is performing the functic n s of the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch, which is in viola tive of the above provision. Hence, respondent No.3 is directerl to consider the representation dated Ol .06.2026 arrd pass a1>propriate orders in accordance u.ith 1aw, within a period of trvo (2) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order IEiEGEEE
1i. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There sha-ll be no order as to costs Pending miscellaneous petitions, if aly, in this Writ Petition shall stand closed. SD/- A.H.S. GOWRI SHANKAR ASSISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY//
rb(o SECT FFICER To PSK GJP My
1. The Principal Secretary, Transport' Roads and Building (RH & C A1) Department, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Secretariate Building, Hyderabad' State of Telangana.
2. The Piincipal Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department' Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Secretariate Building, Hyderabad, State of Telangana
3. The District Collector, Warangal, Warangal District' Telangana State'
4. The Managing Director, Telangana State Housing Corporation Limited, H no 3-6-184, Street No'17 Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, lndia,500029
5. The Project Development Officer, Housing Corporation Warangal, Warangal District.
6. The Mandal Development Officer, Nallabelli, Nallabelli Mandal, Warangal District.
7. One CC to SRI RAMAVARAM CHANDRASHEKAR REDDY, Advocate loPUCl
a. iwo Cbs to GP FOR ROADS & BUILDINGS, High Court for the State of Telangana, at Hyderabad. [OUT]
9. Two CCt to Gp FOR GRAM PANCHAYATH, High Court for the State of Telangana, at Hyderabad. [OUT]
10. One CC to SRI M.KIRAN REDDY, Advocate [OPUC] '1 1. Two CD Copies
CC TODAY HIGH COURT DATED: 2010712026
ORDER
WP.No.20567 of 2026 -,tiE S IA rC: ( a: a aa \.) 4 JU 2[26 S r'-l1c'"i1 Cl 'ia -- DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS.
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