Advocates welcome High Court bench in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: With Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announcing in the Assembly that it would be good to make Visakhapatnam as the executive capital along with Amaravati and Kurnool as legislative and judicial capitals respectively, everyone's focus turned towards Visakhapatnam.

On Friday, the expert committee on capital submitted its report to the CM, suggesting establishment of a High Court bench in Visakhapatnam would be beneficial for Coastal Andhra.

Over the past few months, the advocates were on the agitation mode, demanding setting up of either High Court or HC bench in Visakhapatnam. Bringing their practice to a grinding halt, they boycotted the courts for weeks, setting aside even emergency cases.

With the suggestion of establishing HC bench mooted by the expert committee, the advocates in the city said that their decade-long demand will soon be met. Visakhapatnam has the largest bar association in Andhra Pradesh.

About 10,000 advocates are enrolled in both Gajuwaka and Visakhapatnam bar associations alone. Among the 9,000 practising advocates, a greater number of women advocates forms a part of these associations.

About 60 per cent of litigations in the High Court are being filed from Coastal Andhra region, according to Visakhapatnam Bar Association Council president G Maheswara Reddy.

The expert committee's idea of setting up a HC bench in Vizag brought cheer among the advocates here as those residing in this region could save money and time spent on travel frequenting Kurnool which has been proposed by the CM as judicial capital of the state.

"We have been fighting for setting up of HC bench in Visakhapatnam since 1993. Finally, our demand is going to be realised as it eases the case filing process. This apart, the HC bench also aids in developing the entire stretch of coastal Andhra," reasons Maheswara Reddy.

Hailing the decision, advocates from Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts welcomed the idea of establishing a HC bench in Vizag rather than in other districts.

Sharing similar views, Gajuwaka Bar Association Council president L Srinivas Satyanarayana stated, "With considerable strength of practicing advocates in the region, establishing a HC bench here would be more beneficial for them as well as for the general public."