Andhra Pradesh High Court under T siege, judges attacked

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, Sept 15: The atmosphere at the Andhra Pradesh High Court was highly charged on Wednesday as Telangana lawyers went on a rampage following a boycott call given by the Telangana Advocates’ Joint Action Committee.

A division Bench described the incident as a Constitutional breakdown as agitators damaged furniture and equipment in the court halls, including the Registrar-General’s chamber. They did not even spare the judges and hurled law books and placards at the Benches.

Justice Nooty Ramamohana Rao and two members of his personal staff sustained injuries when the agitators hurled the All India Law Reporter books at the Bench.
A bench comprising of Justices V. Eswaraiah and Noushad Ali directing the Chief Secretary, DGP and the city police commissioner to take immediate steps to maintain law and order. Sources said the judges passed a four-page order in their chamber and sent it to the registrar with an instruction to communicate it to the authorities

It may be mentioned that the “T” advocates began fast-unto-death on Monday demanding 42 per cent quota in the appointments of the law officers of the High Court.

The JAC has decided to boycott the all the courts in the Telangana region till the government considered their demands. Following the call, second day (today) a large number of police personnel were deployed in the High Court keeping in view Tuesday’s incident in which the agitators ransacked Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy’s court hall and damaged the furniture.

The Registrar–General made requisition to the city police for the security arrangements and issued an order to allow the advocates after verifying their identity.

As soon as the court began, the agitators gathered into groups and went into the court halls by raising slogans and obstructed the court proceedings. Many judges stepped down the benches and when the agitators went into the court hall of Justice T Meena Kumari, she suggested them to conduct their stir in a peaceful manner.

She further said that if they agreed to conduct the boycott in a democratic manner, they would ask the police leave the premises. When the agitators agreed for her suggestion she asked the senior police officials including additional police commissioner Mr. D Tirumala Rao to take steps to retreat the police force.

Meanwhile “T” advocates from the lower courts of the city also reached to High Court and barged into the court by groups and went on rampage.

The attempts of leaders of the “T” JAC to control them were foiled as they were tense. The “T” advocates protested for the presence of the police force in the High Court and alleged that they were roughed up by them.

Most of the judges expressed resentment over the atmosphere in the premises and in private talks.

The agitators have been demanding 42 per cent quota in the appointments of law officers of the High Court and the resignation of the advocate general.

Meanwhile, the Charminar police registered a case of damaging of the furniture in Court Hall No 32, on Tuesday.