HC suspends two Telangana judges for leading protest march

The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad on Monday suspended two Telangana judges K Ravinder and Vara Prasad, for leading a march to Raj Bhavan on Sunday in protest against the allotment of 200 judges of Andhra Pradesh nativity to subordinate courts in Telangana.

The protesting judges also threatened to resign enmasse and marched to Raj Bhavan to submit resignations to Governor E S L Narasimhan.

The suspended judges are president and secretary respectively of Telangana Judges Association as well.

As many as 130 judges, including junior, senior civil judges and district judges from across 10 districts, took out  a protest march and threatened mass resignation. However, they submitted their resignations to the Association President after the police refused them entry into the Raj Bhavan.

On Monday, Telangana advocates held a dharna in front of the High Court demanding revocation of suspension of their office bearers and chalked out a programme to continue their agitation till their demands are met. The Judges Association in a statement has said that “vested interests have kept no vacancy in all cadres of Telangana while allowing vacancies in Andhra Pradesh. Youngest Direct Recruit Officers from Andhra Pradesh were intentionally allocated to Telangana to deprive the promotional prospects of Telangana judges, to rule Telangana judiciary and to protect their men and property. We are also afraid of their future intervention in political and executive administration of Telangana,” the statement read.

The statement said that the Judges have a feeling that they are still working under the previous High Court of Andhra Pradesh and not under the new High Court of both states. The Association unanimously resolved not to approach the High Court for redressal of judicial matters as majority in the High Court were biased towards the Telangana cause.

Since June 6, advocates and judicial officers in Telangana courts have been on strike and work in High Court has also suffered since June 13 due to token boycott by Telangana judicial officers.