Hyderabad HC bifurcation: Ex-SC judge questions delay, dubs it an 'insult'

Former Supreme Court judge, Justice B Sudershan Reddy, on Saturday questioned the delay in bifurcation of the Hyderabad High Court despite four years passing since the formation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking as a chief guest at the Telangana state convention of Bar Association at the premises of the HC, the former judge told reporters, “I do not understand why the High Court is not bifurcated till date. Failure to establish separate high courts for AP and TS is nothing but insulting the people of the state and its lawyers.”

“Advocates must fight for resolution of problems affecting the institution. Use the appeal remedy and fight your case and give judges an opportunity to rectify the mistakes,” he added.

The Hyderabad High Court is presently overseeing cases from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The issue of bifurcating the HC has been contentious, as in December last year, TRS MPs from Telangana created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha, demanding that the Centre create separate High Courts for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, under Section 31 of the AP Reorganisation Act.

They protested from their seats and also came near the Speaker's podium carrying placards and also holding an electronic tablet that flashed a message raising their demand.

Led by Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, who is also Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter, the MPs stated that the matter had been pending for the last three and a half years, and demanded an adjournment motion. 

After protests rocked the House, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad spoke on the matter.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Prasad said that Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has offered four buildings in Amaravati to temporarily host the state's High Court.

The bifurcation would take place according to the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Union Minister said.

Presently, a committee is in the process of identifying a location where it can set up a temporary HC in Andhra’s capital region of Amaravati.

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