CJI Thakur asks Telangana advocates to withdraw strike

Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today asked advocates from Telangana to withdraw their ongoing agitation over allotment of judges from Andhra Pradesh in courts of the newly formed state and seeking bifurcation of the High Court here. CJI Thakur made the request when a delegation of Telangana advocates called on him in New Delhi. Members of Telangana High Court Advocates Association, Federation of Bar Associations Telangana, Telangana Advocates Joint Action Committee and other organisations spearheading the agitation submitted a representation listing their demands to the CJI. "We explained to him our demands for withdrawal of provisional list of Judges of AP nativity who were allotted to subordinate courts in Telangana, revoking the suspension of 11 judges and for initiating steps to bifurcate Hyderabad High Court," Telangana High Court Advocates Association President Gandra Mohan Rao told PTI. "The CJI asked us to withdraw the agitation and said he would discuss the matter with Union Law Minister. He assured us to initiate steps to fulfil our demands," he said. However, the agitation will continue and any decision on withdrawing it shall be taken collectively at Hyderabad only after taking everybody into confidence, Rao said. Acting Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale and Judges of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad had on July 1 appealed to agitating employees and judicial officials to immediately withdraw the "illegal" strike in public interest. The HC Registrar General's office has warned that if the strike is not called off, it may have to consider "other options" to ensure the litigants do not suffer. However, the protesting advocates have urged the HC to first look into their demands before they considered ending their stir. Advocates and judicial employees across Telangana had been protesting since June 6 against allotment of judges from Andhra in Telangana's courts. Around 200 judges from Telangana are also on a mass leave since June 28. The HC had earlier suspended 11 judicial officers on disciplinary grounds. They had taken part in a rally. The advocates are demanding revocation of their suspension. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, but both States still have a common HC.