HC lawyers seek appointment of permanent judge; boycott work

Hyderabad: Judicial work in the High Court at Hyderabad was paralysed on Thursday due to absence of advocates who boycotted court work heeding to the call given by both the associations of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Court advocates.

The associations at a combined general body meeting on Tuesday called for a two-day boycott of work by advocates on Thursday and Friday to express their concern at mounting vacancies in the posts of judges of High Court that was severely affecting the litigants and advocates. The protest was also aimed at not appointing a permanent Chief Justice for the High Court at Hyderabad.

On Thursday morning, all advocates led by Dhanajaya Challa, president of AP High Court Advocates Association and Jalli Kanakiah, president of Telangana High Court Advocates Association went on a procession from the High Court premises to Madina Crossroads.

The advocates also demanded scrapping of amendments to Criminal Procedure Code which give enormous powers to the police to deal with the accused. The main demand was to fill the vacancies in the High Court and subordinate courts so that the adjudication process which has been derailed for more than three years is set right.