HC division: Centre must help, says Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: The AP government on Tuesday submitted before the Hyderabad High Court that it had no objection for the constitution of a separate High Court as per the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act read with Article 214 of the Constitution.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar commenced hearing on a PIL by T. Dhangopal Rao, a practising HC advocate as a party in person, seeking to direct both the governments to give concurrence for the constitution separate high courts.

In a counter-affidavit, the AP government said the Chief Minister had informed the Chief Justice of the High Court that “people of AP are anxiously looking forward to the shaping of new capital and the constitution of the High Court being one such prominent entity, the state administration is also equally keen in constituting the same in the capital region”.

It was told to the court that Sub-Section (3) of Section 94 of the Act requires the Centre to provide financial support for the creation of essential facilities in the new capital including the HC. In response to a letter by the Chief Justice, the AP government said, “In accordance with the provisions of the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014, The government identified 30,000 acres for its capital.

The Chief Justice had on October 26, 2014, addressed a letter to the AP Chief Minister seeking his response and the Chief Minister had replied on March 23, 2015.

Explaining reasons for the delay, the AP government said, "In accordance with the provisions of the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014, The government could identify 30, 000 acres for its capital and thereafter the Chief Minister gave a reply on March 23".