Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao on Sunday demanded that the new High Court of Andhra Pradesh should be set up in the state's Rayalaseema region.
“We should not settle for establishment of high court in the capital region of Amaravati and just the HC Bench in Rayalaseema. The region is being neglected as all the developments are being centered around Amaravati. There is also an urgent need to set up separate boards for the development of Rayalaseema and Kalingandhra,” Rao was quoted as saying.
He was speaking at a round-table conference organised at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad, attended by former judges and ex-chief secretaries from the state.
Justices P Lakshmana Reddy, V Eshwaraiah, Seshasayana Reddy and G Krishnamohana Reddy were among those present, along with Rao and ex-chief secretary Ajeya Kallam.
Stating that the Andhra government was concentrating development in the Amaravati capital region, those who gathered demanded separate development boards to be constituted for the Rayalaseema region.
“We have decided to send letters to President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court Chief Justice, AP Governor and AP Chief Minister, requesting them to set up High Court in Rayalaseema,” Jana Chaitanya Vedika president Lakshman Reddy told reporters.
The Rayalaseema region comprises four districts – Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor. The region has several drought-prone areas and witnesses farmer suicides annually.
After the state’s bifurcation in 2014 for the creation of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh has been building its upcoming capital Amaravati on the banks of the Krishna River, with its latest target being the location of the High Court building.
When Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014, the locals in Rayalaseema saw this as a chance to develop their region. However, CM Naidu’s focus on the Krishna and Godavari delta regions has irked many.
Many are appealing to Naidu to not repeat his ‘mistake’ of developing a single region between Vijayawada and Guntur while ignoring the rest of the state.