Expressing concern over the inordinate delay in allotting alternative land to a housing society as land grabbers occupied its land, the Telangana High Court on Thursday hoped that the Chief Minister would render justice to the society within a month.

A division bench comprising Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice T. Amarnath Goud passed an order over nearly two-decade long writ petition filed by Hyderabad-based Kalyan Nagar Co-operative Housing Society Limited. The government's failure over repeated promises of allotting alternative land to the society, the HC described the case as a “classic example of failure of both the executive and the judiciary”.

Referring to the submission of Special Chief Secretary, Revenue, Rajeshwar Tiwari, who appeared before the bench, that the proposal to allot land to the society had to be cleared by the Telangana Cabinet of Ministers, the bench said it would hope the government would ‘decide the simple issue’ sooner. “With due respect, it would not require the Alexander the Great to settle the issue,” the bench remarked.

As Mr. Tiwari said the Revenue portfolio was with the Chief Minister presently, Justice Chauhan noted while dictating the order: “I heard Telangana Chief Minister has vision for people and is far ahead of other leaders. I am sure he would pull up the bureaucrats for their failure.”

Citing Article 14 of the Constitution, the bench remarked that equal treatment should be meted out to people in similar situations, stating that there were instances of government allotting land to different persons. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure it had faith of its people. Justice Chauhan said that he wanted the Chief Minister to know about the plight of the society and its members who had been running from pillar to post for past two decades despite orders of the Land Grabbing court and the directions of the High Court.

The bench said the High Court should have issued contempt proceedings over failure of authorities to enforce the court orders. “There is a limit to the patience of the judiciary. People here are extremely patient,” he noted.

The judges said that the government should understand that the society members are not asking for the Falaknuma Palace.