SC refuses to admit plea of advocates’ association

HYDERABAD: A Supreme Court bench on Wednesday was not inclined to entertain the petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates’ Association challenging the gazette notification issued by the Centre on December 26 last year constituting a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati effective from January 1. The bench dismissed the petition as ‘withdrawn’.

When the matter came up for hearing before the bench comprising Justice AK Sikri and Justice S Abdul Nazeer, the counsel for petitioner submitted that the AP government had earlier filed a ‘false affidavit’ before the court claiming that the temporary building at Amaravati to house the new High Court of AP would be completed by December, 2018. However, the building was not yet completed till date and that there were no basic facilities and amenities for functioning of the new HC, the counsel pointed out.
Intervening, the bench said that the matter relating to bifurcation of common High Court was a long pending issue and that the bench had already heard the case several times in the past.

It said that there would be some hiccups during bifurcation. In fact, the new High Court of Andhra Pradesh has already commenced, it noted and refused to entertain the plea.When the bench decided to dismiss the petition, the petitioner’s counsel urged to grant permission for withdrawing the petition. Considering the plea, the bench allowed for withdrawal.

It may be recalled that the association had recently moved the Apex Court with a plea to have an urgent hearing of its ‘house motion petition’ requesting to defer implementation of the gazette notification.
The court was on vacation from December 17 to January 2.