High Court grants state two more weeks to file counters in the Kaleshwaram case, extending interim relief for KCR, Harish Rao, and others till November 12

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday granted the state government two additional weeks to submit its counter-affidavits in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project case. Until then, interim protection for former chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, ex-irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, former chief secretary S.K. Joshi, and IAS officer Smita Sabharwal will remain in effect until November 12.

A bench led by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin criticized the government for repeatedly delaying its response despite ample time. The judges warned that no further extensions would be entertained and directed the petitioners to file replies two weeks after the state’s submission.

The case challenges the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission report, which examined alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project—one of Telangana’s most expensive irrigation ventures.

Analysis:
This extension keeps political tension alive around one of Telangana’s key infrastructure controversies. The High Court’s firm stance signals growing judicial impatience with bureaucratic delays. For citizens, the outcome could influence future accountability mechanisms for large public projects, especially those tied to irrigation and rural development.