Hyderabad: To end a dispute regarding allocation of judicial officers among the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the state governments to make an assessment of the required strength of the respective cadres of judicial officers with reference to the Appointed Day in consultation with the High Court and frame rules or create appropriate legal regime, fixing the strength of respective cadres of both states within four weeks from Thursday (April 27).
A two-member bench comprising Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer was dealing with petitions by Telangana Judges Association and Telangana Government, challenging the guidelines by the Hyderabad High Court on February 26, 2016 for allocation of a subordinate judicial officer between both states.
Referring to certain objections raised by the Telangana Judges Association against the guidelines and in toto acceptance of AP government, the bench said: “We deem it appropriate to direct that the guidelines issued by the High Court be treated as the draft guidelines for allotment of judicial officers among the two states.”
The bench felt that “after the strength of the cadre is so determined, the exercise regarding appointment of officers in different cadres of the judicial service recruited under the relevant rules the existing state of AP is to be undertaken in accordance with certain guidelines”.
The bench directed that the Telangana Judges Association and Telangana Government as well the AP Government and any one of the judicial officers subject to control of the existing High Court and not belonging to Telangana Judges Association either individually or in their representative capacity may make suggestions within a period of four weeks from today to Union of India and the Hyderabad High Court.
The Union of India shall thereafter examine the suggestions and prepare draft guidelines in consultation with the High Court on or before June 17, and place the guidelines before them on the next date of hearing.
The bench permitted the Telangana government to make fresh rules for Telangana State Judicial Service Rules. The High Court earlier termed the rules made by the Telangana government invalid as they were framed without consulting the High Court.
