In a significant development aimed at strengthening the judicial system in Andhra Pradesh, the Central Government approved the appointments of three advocates as judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday. The announcement, made by Union Minister of State for Law (independent charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal on his official X handle, marks a crucial step towards addressing the shortage of judges in the state’s highest court.
The three lawyers appointed are:
– Maheswara Rao Kuncheam @ Kuncham;
– Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar @ TCD Sekhar;
– Challa Gunaranjan.
These appointments follow the recommendations made by the Supreme Court Collegium on October 15, which in turn were based on the nominations put forward by the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and two of his senior colleagues on May 15, 2024.
The Supreme Court Collegium’s resolution highlighted a rigorous evaluation process involving the scrutiny of numerous records and inputs from the Department of Justice. The Collegium noted positive feedback from four consultee-judges regarding the suitability of Maheswara Rao Kuncheam and Challa Gunaranjan for elevation to the bench.
However, the appointment of Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar attracted mixed reviews, with one of the consultee judges remarking on his relatively mediocre performance. Despite this, Sekhar’s background as a member of a backward class played a role in the Collegium’s decision to recommend him, reflecting a commitment to diversity and representation within the judiciary.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, which is currently operating with 26 judges, has a sanctioned strength of 37. The addition of these three new judges is expected to alleviate some of the burdens and improve the court’s efficiency in handling a backlog of cases.
