Formation of a High Court for Andhra Pradesh and its location continue to hang fire as the State government dithers on the issue. This is in spite of the High Court Division Bench’s order to set up circuit benches for coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema before a separate High Court is established. People want that the circuit bench be located in the city. “Important members of the JAC of Advocates of AP are going to meet in Hyderabad on Friday to discuss the steps to be taken as the government is delaying the issue,” president of the Visakhapatnam Bar Association and JAC co-convener J. Pridhviraj said on Thursday.
“Non-availability of infrastructure is a lame excuse,” Mr. Pridhviraj said and pointed out that when Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 the High Court was established at Guntur (Visakhapatnam lost by a margin of just one vote in the Assembly) with whatever land available. Former president of Visakhapatnam Bar Association N.V. Badarinath recalled the agitations the advocates of the region had staged for High Court in the city. Advocates are apprehensive that the Chief Minister might go by the reported statement of the Union Law Minister that not every institution should be decentralised and locate the High Court in Amaravati. What the former Chairman of Bar Council of India, late D.V. Subba Rao, said is pertinent in this context.
“The High Court, its Judges, and officers and staff need an ambience and culture, and the place where it is located must suit their needs. Visakhapatnam, in spite of being located in a corner of the State, suits the bill perfectly.”
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