Bon Voyage: Telangana HC advocates, judges bid farewell to Justice Abhishek Reddy

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court on Friday bid farewell to Justice A. Abhishek Reddy who has been transferred to Patna High Court. The customary farewell to the High Court judge was held at the First Court Hall, Telangana High Court, Hyderabad.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and other judges of the High Court, advocate general B.S. Prasad, registrar general Srujana, senior advocates, and others were present.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan hailed the contributions made by Justice Abhishek Reddy in the Telangana High Court. Advocate general Banda Shivananda Prasad listed out the significant judgments pronounced by the judge sitting in Division Bench and in Single Bench at the High Court. Further, the AG said Justice Abhishek Reddy had delivered justice fairly and with utmost sincerity and honesty.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Abhishek Reddy observed that it was the duty of courts not only to protect the rights of people but also to ensure that the latter lived with dignity. He thanked Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and other judges for their cooperation in the adjudication of cases.

Later, the Telangana High Court Advocates Association also held a farewell for Justice Abhishek Reddy.

An illustrious career

Justice Abhishek Reddy is the son A. Pulla Reddy, an advocate, and Dr. A. Shashirekha Reddy. He was born on 7 November 1967 and hails from Lingampally village under Manchal mandal in the Ranga Reddy district.

Abhishek Reddy went to St. Pauls High School, Hyderguda, and completed his intermediate from Little Flower Junior College, Uppal. He graduated in Arts from Nizam College, Hyderabad, obtained a law degree from University College of Law, Osmania University, in 1990 and enrolled as an advocate in the erstwhile Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in July 1990.

After enrolment, he joined the chambers of his father A. Pulla Reddy (one of the senior-most members of the Bar, practising law from 1952 onwards). He has practised in various branches of law before various tribunals, forums, revenue authorities and courts, including district court, Ranga Reddy district, city civil court, Hyderabad, and the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and handled cases mainly involving Constitutional, arbitration, administration, civil, family, revenue, land acquisition, and various other branches of law, both on the original and appellate side.

Justice Abhishek Reddy completed his LL.M. from Washington College of Law, Washington, DC, in 1993 and resumed his practice.

He was appointed as government pleader-cum-public prosecutor in the special court under A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act in 2004 and worked as a government pleader for higher and technical education in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh from 2007 to 2009.

Justice Abhishek Reddy was the standing counsel for many institutions, including Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (JNAFAU), Telangana Fee Regulatory Committee (TFRC), and various other organisations in the High Court.

He has appeared on behalf of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE), Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education, Pondicherry Urban Development Agency (PUDA), Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET) in the High Court for the state of Telangana at Hyderabad.

Justice Abhishek Reddy was elevated to the Bench as a permanent judge of the Telangana High Court on 26 August 2019.

The transfer

Justice Abhishek Reddy was transferred to the Patna High Court on 1 November 2022 by the Supreme Court Collegium.

The transfer came as a surprise to many in the legal fraternity. It led to protests by the Telangana High Court Advocates Association (THCAA). They accused the Collegium of not being transparent in its decision-making process.

On 18 November 2022, THCAA passed a resolution to abstain from work until the Supreme Court Collegium cancels the transfer of Justice Abhishek Reddy to Patna High Court. They argued that the transfer was uncalled for and accused the Collegium of unfairly targeting the Telangana High Court.

The reason for his transfer is allegedly over corruption allegations involving land at Vikarabad. Telangana High Court Advocates Association protested against his transfer and demanded his recall.