Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Telangana High Court Handles Media Cards, Medigadda Safety Cases
The Telangana High Court dealt with two different cases.
In one case, it said eligible working journalists can continue using their 2023 accreditation cards until September 15.
It did not give the same temporary protection to new applicants or people without current cards.
Several groups are challenging the government’s newer rules for issuing media cards.
In another case, the National Dam Safety Authority gave the court its report about problems at the Medigadda barrage.
The authority said Medigadda should be repaired before it is used again.
It also said the Annaram and Sundilla barrages should be examined because they have similar features.
Temporary safety steps were recommended for all three barrages.
The Telangana High Court directed the state to extend eligible journalists’ 2023 accreditation cards until September 15.
The court denied interim relief to new applicants and people who do not currently hold accreditation cards.
Petitioners challenged revised accreditation rules, including distinctions between cable and satellite channels.
The National Dam Safety Authority submitted its Medigadda barrage report and recommended rehabilitation before operations resume.
The report attributed the barrage’s distress to planning, design, construction-quality, and operation-and-maintenance deficiencies, while calling for urgent checks of Annaram and Sundilla.
- Who
- The Telangana High Court, working journalists’ associations, the Telangana government, and the National Dam Safety Authority are the main parties.
- What
- The court extended eligible 2023 media accreditation cards until September 15, while the NDSA submitted a report recommending rehabilitation of the Medigadda barrage before operations resume.
- When
- The media-accreditation direction was issued on Tuesday, and the related matters were adjourned for final hearing on September 15. The NDSA report was submitted during the pending proceedings.
- Where
- The proceedings took place before the Telangana High Court in Hyderabad and concerned Telangana’s media-accreditation rules and the Kaleshwaram project barrages.
- Why
- The accreditation petitions challenge revised eligibility criteria, while the dam-safety proceedings concern structural and operational safety and the future use of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme.
Petitioners and Project User
Government and Safety Authorities
Media accreditation rules
Petitioners and Project User
The petitioners argued that the revised accreditation criteria were contrary to earlier High Court orders and objected to distinctions between cable and satellite channels.
Government and Safety Authorities
The state defended the current process and told the court that, among 535 names submitted by the Telangana Urdu Working Journalists Federation, only 268 had previously held accreditation cards.
Dam safety and water access
Petitioners and Project User
Petitioner S. Sharath sought a comprehensive technical inspection and a report on the structural and operational safety of the Kaleshwaram project, including whether restricted use was safe. The petition also raised hardships faced by farmers in obtaining water.
Government and Safety Authorities
The NDSA said it had completed its examination and denied that it had failed in its duties. It said agricultural hardships were policy matters for the state government, while recommending rehabilitation and interim safety measures for the barrages.
- Media-card extension
- Eligible working journalists holding 2023 accreditation cards may use them until September 15.
- Excluded applicants
- The court granted no interim relief to new applicants or people who do not presently possess accreditation cards.
- Accreditation challenge
- Petitions were filed by the Hi-Tech Print and Electronic Media Association, Telangana Urdu Working Journalists Federation, and Creative India Broadcasting Private Limited.
- NDSA finding
- The authority attributed Medigadda’s distress to deficiencies in planning, design, construction quality, and operation and maintenance.
- Recommended action
- Medigadda should be rehabilitated before being reopened for operations.
- Other barrages
- The NDSA called for urgent examination of the Annaram and Sundilla barrages because of similar design and construction features.
- Interim safety measure
- For Medigadda, the committee recommended keeping Block-7 gates fully open before the monsoon and removing damaged gates adjacent to Pier No. 20 where necessary.