The Telangana High Court will get its first woman judge with Justice Sushri Ghandikota Sri Devi, an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court, being appointed as an Additional Judge of the Telangana High Court. She joined the Allahabad High Court in November 2018 and will retire in October 2022.
The Supreme Court collegium recommended Justice Sri Devi after she submitted a representation seeking a transfer. Justices NV Ramana, Arun Mishra and RF Nariman considered her representation for her transfer. Following this, President of India Ram Nath Kovind issued the necessary orders and Justice Sri Devi has been directed to assume charge at the Telangana High Court by May 16.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Sushri Ghandikota Sri Devi, Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court, as an Additional Judge of the Telangana High Court and to direct her to assume charge of her office in Telangana High Court on or before 16th May 2019,” the notification signed by the Joint Secretary to the Government of India stated.
This takes the strength of the Telangana High Court to 12, as opposed to its total strength of 24. There have been no women judges so far.
Justice Sri Devi, a native of Vizianagaram, graduated from law school in 1986 and was appointed in Higher Judicial Service in 2005. She was promoted as the District and Sessions Judge in 2016. She has worked in Jhansi, Lucknow, Ghaziabad and Gonda.