Andhra Pradesh Assembly, on Thursday, unanimously passed a resolution, urging the Centre to set up a High Court bench at Kurnool.
Minister for Law N.Md. Farooq tabled the resolution in the House, which passed it unanimously. The resolution will be sent to the Centre for its consent.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu told the House that the bench would be set up as early as possible. He noted that the people of Kurnool have long been demanding the High Court bench.
Stating that his government is committed to the development of Kurnool, CM Naidu alleged that the previous government of the YSR Congress Party neglected the Rayalaseema region.
MLAs from Kurnool district and other parts of Rayalaseema hailed the passing of the resolution for the High Court bench. They said this would meet the long-pending demand of the people of the region.
After assuming office as the Chief Minister, Naidu announced that the state government is ready for the setting up of the High Court bench at Kurnool as promised to the people.
During the ‘Prajagalam’ programme before the Assembly elections, then leader of opposition and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Chandrababu Naidu had promised the High Court.
The resolution was passed a day after the state Cabinet decided to set up a permanent Bench of the High Court in Kurnool.
The state law secretary also wrote a letter to the registrar general of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, requesting him to follow up with the Government of India regarding the establishment of a High Court bench in Kurnool.
The letter points out that there are similar arrangements in other states, where high courts have benches in different locations. It cited examples including the Madras High Court’s bench at Madurai, the Bombay High Court’s benches at Nagpur and Aurangabad, and the Guwahati High Court’s multiple benches in northeastern states.
CM Naidu also assured the Assembly that the Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission (APSHRC) and Lok Ayukta will continue to function from Kurnool.
His assurance came amid protests by lawyers in Kurnool against the proposed shifting of the two legal bodies to Amaravati.
On November 14, the government’s advocate informed the High Court of the planned relocation of institutions like Lokayukta and APSHRC to Amaravati. This sparked protests by advocates, who launched a boycott of court activities from November 19.
It may be recalled that the previous government of YSRCP had proposed Kurnool as the judicial capital under its three-state capital formula.