"Was State Circular Allowing Relaxed Timings For Muslim Employees During Ramzan Ultra-Vires & Anti-Secular?" Telangana High Court To Consider

A PIL has been filed in the Telangana High Court praying for directions to the Union and State governments that no holidays (whether partial or complete) in the current year or future years would be declared only for adherents of a particular religion.

The matter was taken by the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara at the filing stage, who addressed the petitioner's counsel verbally and said that the matter would be considered.

The PIL has been filed challenging the circular issued by the State of Telangana on 15^th February by way of which, Muslim employees, including teachers and public sector staff, were permitted to leave work early at 4:00 PM throughout the month of Ramzan. The petitioner prayed that the circular was ultra virus to the Constitution of India.

Additionally, it was prayed that the State and Union be directed to have a secular and consistent policy regarding holidays (whether partial or complete) ensuring that the public administration and efficiency is not jeopardized in the current year and future

The matter was originally taken up on the 28^th of March and was adjourned so as to enable the petitioner counsel to file relevant documents to apprise the Court of occasions where optional holidays had been given to a particular community.

Today, when the matter was taken up, the senior counsel argued that there should not be certain holidays given only to certain persons practicing a certain religion and the holiday policy should be secular.

The Bench, after hearing the counsel, noted “we will consider” when the counsel enquired whether notice would be issued, the Bench stated that the same would also be considered.

Interestingly, at the start of March, this PIL was filed before the Supreme Court, and a Division Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjaya Kumar had directed the petitioner to approach the High Court of Telangana.

Perika Srinivas vs. State of TS

Counsel for petitioner: K. Parameshwar, Senior Counsel