Protests & celebrations among lawyers

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will have separate high courts from January 1 with the Centre issuing orders for bifurcation of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad. The orders, signed by President Ram Nath Kovind and issued by the Union Law Ministry on Wednesday, said that Andhra Pradesh will have its own High Court from January 1 next year at its capital Amaravati and the High Court at Hyderabad shall become the High Court for Telangana.  

The order also allocated judges to the two high courts. While the Presidential Order cheered the Telangana advocates who said justice had been done to them after five years since the formation of separate state, the advocates belonging to Andhra Pradesh protested against the 'haste' with which the order had been issued. Thus, one saw protests on one side and celebrations on the other side on Thursday. 

The Telangana lawyers were jubilant that the order would pave way for formation of district courts in all 31 districts and they would be functional soon. The Andhra lawyers said it was too early to bifurcate the High Court and that three days were just not sufficient to move to the new state capital i.e., Amaravati. They pointed out that even the construction of the temporary Andhra Pradesh High Court was not completed as yet. They demanded that the Centre take back the notification till all facilities were in place.