AP To Get Its Own HC On 1st January 2019, Says SC [Read Order]

Finally, Andhra Pradesh will get its own high court in Amaravati on 1^st January 2019. The present high court building in Hyderabad would be housing the High Court of Telangana.

The Supreme Court on 29^th October passed an order wherein it said that it expects a notification bifurcating the courts into the High Court of Telangana and High Court of Andhra Pradesh to be issued by January 01, 2019.

“Since all the requirements stand fulfilled, there is no embargo for the Competent Authority to issue a Notification bifurcating the courts into the High Court of Telangana and High Court of Andhra Pradesh respectively. .. We expect such a notification to be issued by January 01, 2019 so that the two High Courts start functioning separately and High Court of Andhra Pradesh also starts functioning in the new building at the earliest,” said the bench comprising Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan while disposing an appeal filed by Union of India.

The Central Government had filed an appeal against the direction of high court direction which had allowed the functioning of two high courts within the same premises. It contended that such a direction is misplaced and impermissible under the provisions of Sections 30 and 31 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for State of Telangana, told the court that the state was ready to provide a separate building in the city of Hyderabad itself where the High Court of Andhra Pradesh can be temporarily shifted till the time the state constructs its own building in Amaravati. Fali S Nariman, appearing for State of Andhra Pradesh, informed the court that the makeshift building in Amaravati for housing the high court is almost ready and would be completed by December 15, 2018.

“One thing is clear from the aforesaid narration. Union of India, State of Telangana as well as State of Andhra Pradesh want the creation of two High Courts as early as possible,” the court said.

The court also perused the affidavit filed by High Court of Judicature for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and said the judges of the high court, who would become judges of High Court of Andhra Pradesh, are satisfied with the facilities in the said building.

The court also recorded the submission made on behalf of state of Andhra Pradesh that, in Amaravati a very big complex known as 'Justice City' is under construction where the high court and subordinate courts and even some tribunals would be accommodated and there is a provision for construction of residential complex for the judges of the high court and judicial officers of the subordinate courts.