Advisors to depts: Andhra Pradesh HC to examine govt powers

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday said it will ascertain whether the government is empowered to appoint advisors to different departments or not. Hearing a petition filed by AP Seva Brahmana Sangha Samakhya spokesperson HK Rajasekhar Rao challenging the appointment of Jwalapurapu Srikanth as an advisor to the endowments department, the division bench headed by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, said there is a need for an in-depth hearing of the case and directed the government to submit all details regarding the appointment of advisors.  Further hearing of the case was posted to January 19.

At the same time, the court modified the interim stay on the appointment of Srikanth as the advisor and allowed him to continue in the post till further hearing. It directed the court registry to club the petition challenging the appointment of retired employee Chandrasekhar Reddy as an advisor (employees affairs) to the State government with the petition challenging the appointment of Srikanth as the endowments advisor.

During the case hearing, the court observed that the appointment of advisors to the CM and ministers is meaningful, but for the department, it is doubtful. Advocate General S Sriram said experienced persons from the respective fields are appointed as advisors and the practice is not new. In the past also, there were advisors to the endowments department, he said.