Telangana advocates demand local-only HC elevations

The Telangana High Court Advocates’ Association (THCAA) convened an extraordinary general body meeting on Monday afternoon at the association hall, where members unanimously passed a resolution demanding that all future recommendations for elevation to the HC bench be restricted exclusively to advocates of this origin.

The meeting announced a formal protest scheduled for Wednesday at 1.45 pm at HC gate 6 as an immediate expression of dissent against the proposed appointment of non-local candidates.

Opening the proceedings, THCAA president S Surender Reddy briefed the general body on the executive committee's recent advocacy efforts. He disclosed that a formal delegation had travelled to Delhi to submit a comprehensive representation before the Chief Justice of India, urging an expansion of the HC's sanctioned judicial strength and expeditious filling of vacancies.

The delegation specifically requested that practicing advocates from the Bar be prioritised for elevation over candidates from the judicial services, with due representation across all social sectors. Reddy noted that the CJI responded favourably, following which the association submitted a parallel representation to the CJ of the Telangana HC, emphasising the historical context of the Telangana statehood movement and the central role played by local advocates in that struggle.

Senior counsel Gandra Mohan Rao addressed the meeting at length, tracing the legal community's grievances to the bifurcation of the erstwhile combined HC. He noted that although Telangana was formally constituted as a separate State in 2014, a distinct HC was established only in 2019, following prolonged agitation by the Bar. Rao alleged that systemic imbalances persisted during the bifurcation of the district judiciary, enabling non-local judicial officers to retain positions within Telangana to the detriment of local practitioners.

He raised specific concerns regarding the institutional influence of judges transferred from neighbouring States and cautioned against ongoing attempts to fill judicial vacancies with non-local candidates. Rao called upon the executive committee to make extensive representations before the Supreme Court Collegium, the Governor, the Chief Minister, and the Union Law Minister to safeguard regional autonomy in judicial appointments.

Senior counsel Sharath Kumar echoed the concerns, criticising transfer policies and alleging that Telangana had been rendered a destination for arbitrary judicial placements from outside the State. He recalled historical grievances whereby advocates who participated in statehood agitation faced institutional suppression.

Kumar contested criticism directed at the English proficiency of local advocates, arguing against the dominance of English over regional languages in judicial proceedings. Drawing comparisons with the practice in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala--where courts routinely conduct proceedings in local languages--he asserted that Telugu remains indispensable for accurately conveying the arguments of litigants before the court. He warned if the association's resolutions are disregarded, members stand prepared to launch sustained demonstrations at the HC gates.

Senior Counsel B Rachna Reddy underscored the emotional and historical dimensions of the movement, within a six-decade-long struggle for regional autonomy over resources and employment. She emphasised that the pursuit of professional dignity and self-governance within the legal framework need not be construed as hostile to the State's traditions of hospitality and mutual respect towards neighbouring regions.

The meeting concluded with the formal adoption of the resolution. The THCAA resolved to petition the CJI, the Supreme Court Collegium, the Union Law Minister, the Governor, the CM of Telangana, and the leadership of all major political parties, demanding elevations to the HC bench be confined to practicing advocates of Telangana origin in conformity with the principles of social justice.

The meeting was attended by THCAA secretary K Niranjan Reddy, vice-president D L Pandu, joint secretary Pulipalupula Krishna Keerthana, cultural secretary K Vishnuvardhan and treasurer Banoth Balaji, along with a large number of senior and junior members of the Bar Association.