High Court seeks clarity on jurisdiction over Andhra Pradesh

DC | S A ISHAQUI

Published Jun 21, 2014, 7:47 am IST

Court asked whether the existing judges of High Court had power to deal with AP cases

 AP High Court. (Photo: DC/File)

Hyderabad: Certain provisions of the AP Reorganisation Bill, 2014, have left the judges of the Hyderabad High Court in a dilemma while dealing with cases pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.
Justice L. Narasimha Reddy on Friday asked the Union of India, ministry of law and ministry of home to clarify whether the existing judges of the common High Court had power to deal with cases pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.

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While dealing with a contempt case, the judge pointed out that Section 30 of the AP Reorganisation Act directed that on and from the Appointed Day, which is notified by the President of India on June 2, the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad would be the common High Court for both the states till a separate High Court for the state of AP was formed under Article 214 of the Constitution read with Section 31 of the Act.
The judge said that prima facie, Parliament had decided to constitute a separate High Court for AP through Sections 31 and 32 of the Act. The seat of the High Court for the state of AP was left to be notified under Section 31 and the allocation of judges for functioning in the High Court of AP from the date determined by the President of India was to be done under Section 32 of the Act.