HC remains the only arbiter to block Kalyan Lakshmi’s Shaadi Mubarak schemes

A bench of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday set aside the order of a single judge that stopped the implementation of the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes.

A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin passed the direction after hearing an appeal filed by the Principal Secretaries of Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste Development, Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Protection of Minorities, Protection of Women and Children and Finance. These petitioners challenged the single judge’s order halting the implementation of the two schemes through seven Government Orders (GOs) in a writ petition filed by HC advocate Vijaya Gopal.

His contention was that the two regimes were implemented through executive orders that had a significant impact on the state economy and had no constitutional validity or legal sanctity. Presenting his arguments, Advocate General A. Sudershan Reddy submitted that both the schemes have been in existence since 2014. According to the Advisory Board, the petitioner was neither a beneficiary nor adversely affected by either of the two schemes.

The cause of action could not be defended as the claimant failed to explain how he suffered due to the two regimes. Petitioner and advocate Vijay Gopal argued that the two schemes were enforced through an executive order. The CBs through which the plans were implemented had no constitutional validity or legislative backing, he said. He also contended that the order of the Single Judge was an interim order passed in an interim petition.

There is no appeal against the preliminary injunction of the application, he argued. Referring to the lawyer’s argument that the two programs were not legally sacrosanct, the Court sought to know whether the Comptroller and Auditor General ever noted or observed in the audit report that the funds released for these programs were not constitutionally valid. Counsel replied that this aspect was outside the domain of the CAG.

The AG informed the bench that the apex court in one of its verdicts had commended various state governments for implementing welfare schemes for the benefit of unmarried women belonging to marginalized groups. The bench remained in the order of a single judge.

Published – 01 Sep 2026 23:22 IST