
VIJAYAWADA: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday, challenging the State government’s decision to establish a High Court Bench in Kurnool City.
Advocates Thandava Yogesh and Turaga Sai Surya filed the PIL, requesting the court to quash the government’s decision. The Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Law), and the High Court Registrar were named as respondents in the case. The petitioners contended that the decision to set up a High Court Bench was based on emotions, sentiments, and political considerations, rather than necessity. Citing the use of e-filing and video conferencing during trials, they argued that there was no requirement for a separate High Court Bench.
Arguing that political parties should not be allowed to make such decisions, the petitioners stressed that the move contradicted a Supreme Court ruling. They also pointed out that the State government had made the decision without considering the 1985 Jaswant Singh Commission’s report. The petitioners claimed that the government had taken a unilateral decision to establish the High Court Bench in Kurnool.
Further, the petitioners disputed the government’s claim that Kurnool was chosen due to its central location within Rayalaseema. They noted that Kurnool is not in the centre but at a corner, bordering Telangana and situated just 200 km from Hyderabad.
They maintained that any decision on the High Court Bench should adhere to the guidelines set by the Jaswant Singh Commission, adding that the High Court Chief Justice must consider those guidelines and seek approval from the Governor, as per Section 31(3) of the AP State Reorganisation Act.
Proposal must come from CJ: Petitioners
The petitioners emphasised that the State government does not have the authority to make such a decision and argued that the High Court should not be established anywhere other than Amaravati. They stated that any proposal for a High Court Bench should come from the Chief Justice, not the Chief Minister.
Additionally, the advocates questioned why the government’s argument about the distance to the High Court did not apply to the Assembly or Secretariat. They labelled the government’s decision to establish the High Court Bench in Kurnool as a conspiracy to undermine the judiciary.