Telangana High Court Pushes Forward on Lift Act Legislation

Hyderabad: Progress on the Telangana Lift Act has accelerated following intervention by the Telangana High Court, which has ordered the Chief Secretary to take direct charge of the proposed law's advancement and furnish a revised status report within a fortnight.

A Division Bench headed by Justices Aparesh Kumar Singh and Ghouse Mohiuddin heard arguments during proceedings on a Public Interest Litigation that seeks comprehensive legislation to oversee lifts and escalators across the state. The court was apprised that the Telangana Lift Act, 2025 has entered its concluding phase.

Draft Clears Initial Hurdles

According to documentation submitted by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, the Chief Minister gave his approval to the draft legislation on June 25. The administration subsequently transmitted the draft to the Law Department on June 27 for legal review and scrutiny.

Following the completion of this vetting process, officials indicated the Bill would be brought before the Council of Ministers, after which it would be presented to the Telangana Legislature for consideration.

The Bench, however, noted that the submission lacked specific timelines for the law's enactment. This prompted the court to require the Chief Secretary to maintain close oversight of the matter and present a comprehensive updated affidavit within fourteen days.

Court Rejects Timeline Extension Request

During the proceedings, the Government Pleader requested a month-long extension to furnish the subsequent status report. The High Court dismissed this appeal and voiced apprehension regarding persistent delays in completing the legislative process.

The Bench scheduled the next hearing for July 15 and instructed the government to place all recent developments before the court at that time.

Advocate Barkat Ali Khan, the petitioner behind the Public Interest Litigation, explained that he had developed the draft legislation to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework encompassing the installation, operation, inspection, maintenance, certification and safety protocols for lifts and escalators throughout Telangana.

Khan noted that he had submitted model legislation from other states and relevant comparative legal frameworks to the court for consideration. He highlighted that fourteen states, including Andhra Pradesh, have already implemented dedicated legislation regulating lifts and escalators.