Hyderabad: The vacation bench of the Telangana High Court on Thursday, May 21, expressed serious concern over the delay in renewal and extension of Accreditation Cards for Telangana Urdu Working Journalists’ Federation.
The federation informed the court that the process was still pending with the Information and Public Relations Department despite repeated assurances by the government.
Urdu journalists not allowed in govt depts
During the hearing, the Court asked the Telangana Urdu Working Journalists Federation whether the non-extension of accreditation cards was causing hardship.
Their counsel, Advocate Barkat Ali Khan, said that Urdu journalists were facing serious practical difficulties, such as being unable to freely access government departments, the Telangana Secretariat, official meetings, press briefings and other government offices for the purpose of news gathering.
The vacation court observed that the matter concerned the entire journalist fraternity and not merely the petitioners before the Court. The bench remarked that it was not appropriate to seek a list only from the petitioners when the issue affected all accredited journalists in the State.
The Additional Advocate General reassured the court that the validity of Media Accreditation Cards would be extended till June 16. The government informed the bench that the extension orders would be issued soon.
The next hearing is on June 16.
