HC orders status quo on VSP issue

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, on Thursday, 26 April 2024, ordered a status quo on the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), which has been facing the threat of privatisation.

The court, after hearing arguments from both sides of the issue, ordered the central government to either not sell, or lease the VSP property till the next hearing, which is slated for 19 June.

It may be recalled that Jai Bharat National Party president, V V Lakshminarayana, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the court against the move to privatise the plant.

When the Additional Solicitor General informed the court that there was no plan to privatise the VSP as of now, during the arguments, the court directed the government to continue the status quo and adjourned the hearing to 19 June.

The High Court order has come as a shot in the arm ahead of the elections for V V Lakshminarayana and K A Paul, who took the initiative and moved the issue to court.

While V V Lakshminarayana is contesting from the Visakha North constituency, K A Paul is in the race for the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat.

Lakshminarayana recently floated the Jai Bharat National Party, and its candidates are contesting in over 100 Assembly segments in the State.

The steel plant privatisation issue has become a poll plank in the elections and it is likely to play a key role in tilting the electoral fortunes of the candidates.

The steel plant, the pride of Andhra Pradesh, has been in crisis, and the Centre’s plan to privatise it has triggered protests and even launched an agitation by various organisations to protect it.

This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu.