State gets notice over plan to rename Kadapa

The state government on Monday questioned the ‘maintainability’ of a public interest litigation filed in the AP High Court against renaming Kadapa district as YSR district in memory of the late Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakru and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar was dealing with a petition filed by Ms K. Jaysree, an advocate of Kadapa, and others, seeking a direction to declare the order of the government issued on July 7, 2010, to rename the district as unconstitutional.

The advocate-general, Mr. D.V. Seetharam Murthy, contended that the petition was not maintainable and also criticised the ‘hostile approach’ of the petitioner towards the departed leader.

He also urged the court to expunge the remarks made in Para 8, 9 and 10 of the petition against YSR. The petitioner, while referring to an APCLC report on Rayalseema factions, alleged that Dr Reddy had a criminal background.

Mr Murthy told the court that before taking a decision to rename the district, the government invited objections from the public. The petitioners submitted their objection and they have no right to again seek adjudication on the same issue.

Meanwhile, the judges said they were not admitting the petition and were issuing notices seeking the version of the government. The court granted two weeks to the government to respond to the petition.