Hyderabad, Aug 22, 2025:
The Telangana High Court has refused to grant an interim stay on the Justice P.C. Ghosh Committee report related to alleged irregularities in the *Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). The petitions were filed by former Chief Minister *K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao, seeking to quash the committee’s findings.
Court’s Observations
During Thursday’s hearing, the High Court sought clarity on whether the report would be acted upon immediately or only after being tabled in the Assembly. On Friday, the Advocate General informed the bench that the report would be placed before the Assembly for discussion before any action is taken.
Based on this assurance, the court observed that there was no need for interim directions at this stage, effectively denying relief to the petitioners.
What This Means for KCR and Harish Rao
The court’s refusal to intervene has come as a setback for both KCR and Harish Rao. Legal experts note that if the leaders questioned the commission’s legality, they should have approached the court when notices were first issued. Instead, they participated in the proceedings and later challenged the outcome.
Experts further opine that questioning the validity of the report after taking part in the inquiry may weaken their legal stand.
Next Steps
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had earlier announced that the report would be *tabled in the Telangana Assembly, with copies shared among all MLAs and MLCs for a comprehensive discussion. Now, with the High Court’s stance, there appear to be *no legal hurdles for the government to present the report in the House.
Background on the Kaleshwaram Project
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is one of the largest multi-stage lift irrigation schemes in the world, aimed at providing irrigation, drinking water, and industrial water supply across Telangana. However, questions have been raised about cost escalations, structural issues, and alleged irregularities in its execution, leading to the appointment of the Justice P.C. Ghosh Committee for inquiry.