AP moves SC against HC order

The State Government is determined to keep forces on the Osmania University campus to quell the students’ agitation for a separate Telangana state.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court had passed directions twice against the presence of security forces on the OU campus, the Government on Thursday approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on these directions in a bid to impose its presence on the campus.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi pleaded before the Supreme Court against the High Court’s Feb 16 order saying that the High Court cannot order the removal of para-military forces from the campus which is the "hot bed" of law and order problem during the ongoing agitation for a separate Telangana state.

Mr Rohatgi submitted that despite the presence of police and paramilitary forces on the campus since December, acts of violence were taking place due to the agitation for Telangana.

The senior advocate said stationing of paramilitary forces was necessary as the state government cannot meet the requirement of force for maintenance of law and order. "The state government has to determine the forces needed," he said justifying the presence of paramilitary forces on the campus