Double-Bedroom Housing Scheme: Is Political Influence Behind the Selection Process?
Discover the controversy surrounding Bhadrachalam's Double-Bedroom Housing Scheme. Allegations of political influence in the selection process have raised questions about fairness and transparency. Read more about the ongoing legal battles and government responses.
Hyderabad: The allotment of double-bedroom houses in Bhadrachalam town has sparked controversy, with allegations that revenue officials discarded the original list of beneficiaries and created a new list without considering the previously selected individuals.
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Background of the Issue
In the previous BRS regime, 250 double-bedroom houses were sanctioned for Bhadrachalam town, with 150 homes completed. Beneficiaries submitted applications in 2023, and the Bhadrachalam tahsildar and revenue staff conducted multiple inquiries before preparing a final list of 150 eligible beneficiaries. This list was submitted to the district collector for approval.
However, the allotment of houses was delayed for over a year and a half, with allegations of political interference. Recently, reports suggested that officials began selecting new beneficiaries and secretly handing over houses, which many believe was done for political reasons.
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Legal Challenge Filed by Affected Beneficiaries
Several affected beneficiaries, including Punem Pradeep Kumar, B Malleshwar Rao, Pathuluri Kavitha, P Chamundeshwari, and Sunnam Manjula, have filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the decision to discard the original list and prepare a second one.
The petitioners claim they were unjustly excluded from receiving houses, despite being selected in the original list per the tahsildar’s proceedings RC No. C/124/2023, dated June 5, 2023.
Court Proceedings and Observations
The matter was heard before Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy’s bench on Monday. The judge questioned the process of selecting new beneficiaries without holding a gram sabha, emphasizing that houses should be allotted based on the majority resolution passed in the gram sabha as per the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) PESA Act, 1996. He further remarked that such decisions should not be taken arbitrarily.
In response, the government pleader explained that houses were being allocated to flood-affected families in Godavari and residents of Karakatta. However, Justice Reddy pointed out that the petition explicitly related to the first list of beneficiaries and questioned why houses were being allocated to others without addressing the claims of the original beneficiaries.
Court Orders and Next Steps
The judge directed the petitioners to submit their request for house allocation during the upcoming gram sabha meeting. The local gram panchayat and district collector were instructed to consider the petitioners’ requests and make appropriate allocations within three months.
The case highlights the ongoing tension surrounding public housing allocation in Bhadrachalam, with many residents and petitioners hoping the court’s intervention will ensure a fair and transparent process.
