Former Telangana CM KCR and his associates scored a crucial victory as the High Court restrained the government from acting on the controversial Justice PC Ghose report concerning the Kaleshwaram irrigation project. The court’s order protects KCR, T. Harish Rao, SK Joshi, and Smita Sabharwal from immediate repercussions.
Pronounced by a division bench led by Chief Justice A. Pareesh Kumar Singh alongside Justice G. Mohiuddin, the judgment highlights the commission’s non-compliance with essential legal protocols under the Inquiry Commissions Act. This flaw invalidates the report for enforcement purposes against the challengers.
The group of writ petitions contested both the commission’s formation and its conclusions, demanding annulment. Though the court affirmed the state’s power to set up the panel, it ruled the findings lacked legal grounding for penalties due to procedural defects, including skipped notices.
Launched in May 2016 under BRS rule, KLIS represents a mega engineering feat with its multi-level lifts. Concerns over barrages at Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla prompted the 2024 commission, which later blamed KCR and aides for lapses in planning and execution.
Despite the report’s July 2025 submission pinning responsibility, the High Court has directed a halt to all punitive actions. This development underscores tensions between the Congress government and BRS leadership, with implications for ongoing political and legal battles over the project’s fate.
The hearing featured top legal talent, with Dama Seshadri Naidu for KCR, and state representatives pushing back. Delayed from an earlier date, the April 22 ruling reshapes the narrative around Kaleshwaram’s troubled legacy.
