Andhra Pradesh Advances Efforts to Establish High Court Bench in Kurnool
The Andhra Pradesh coalition government has made significant strides toward establishing a High Court bench in Kurnool, fulfilling a key promise made during the ‘Prajagalam’ program. The state cabinet has passed a resolution in favor of the proposal, which was later approved by the legislative assembly.
The journey towards this development began on October 28 of the previous year, when the Secretary (FAC) of the State Law Department formally approached the Registrar General of the High Court. The request sought the opinion of the Competent Authority, composed of the full bench of High Court judges, regarding the feasibility of setting up the Kurnool bench.
On January 29, the High Court Registrar (Vigilance), Srinivasa Shivaram, took the process forward by sending a letter to Kurnool Collector, Ranjith Basha. The letter called for detailed information on the infrastructure requirements to accommodate 15 judges, including the availability of facilities such as a court complex, courtrooms, staff offices, and accommodations for judges, lawyers, and court personnel.
Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, Shivaram instructed the Kurnool Collector to ensure the requested details were submitted promptly. In response, the Kurnool Collector forwarded the request to the relevant authorities, including the Superintendent Engineer of the Roads and Buildings Department, the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, and the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). The officials have been tasked with examining whether existing government or private buildings can meet the necessary infrastructure needs.
This development marks a crucial step in fulfilling the government’s commitment to decentralizing judicial power and ensuring easier access to legal services for the residents of the region. The proposed High Court bench in Kurnool is expected to strengthen the state’s judicial system and cater to the growing demands of the population.