In a bizarre case of misactivism, an advocate moved the Telangana High Court challenging the appointment of IPS officers to posts traditionally held by IAS officers. The High Court questioned the petitioner’s locus standi and asked him how he was personally aggrieved by these appointments.
Justice EV Venugopal on Friday directed the petitioner, advocate Vadla Srikanth, to implead any affected persons, if any. The court adjourned the matter to April 15 for further hearing.
Srikanth’s petition virtually challenges a Sept 2025 Telangana govt order appointing senior IPS officers to key administrative posts: Stephen Ravindra (IPS:1999:TG) as Commissioner of Civil Supplies and ex-officio Principal Secretary to the govt., Shikha Goel (IPS:1994:TG) as Director General, Vigilance and Enforcement, and ex-officio Principal Secretary, and CV Anand (IPS:1991:TG) as Special Chief Secretary, Home Department.
In an earlier hearing, Justice Surepally Nanda had issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD), directing them to respond to the petition.
The petitioner has contended that these appointments violate the IAS (Cadre) Rules and IAS (Fixation of Cadre Strength) Amendment Regulations, 2016, while seeking directions to the state govt to remove the IPS officers and fill the posts with IAS officers.
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