TS HC Collegium recommended judges without taking confidence of Bar Association

Hyderabad: An Extraordinary General Body meeting of the Telangana High Court Advocate Association (THCAA) was held at the Bar Association hall in the High Court on Thursday afternoon. The association said the Telangana High Court Collegium's decision to recommend the names to the SC Collegium for appointment of five judges is disgusting. There is lack of implementation of social justice, it added.

A resolution was passed at the meeting expressing dissatisfaction over the Telangana High Court Collegium's decision for recommending the names without taking into confidence the High Court Bar Association. Verose Raghunath, the president of THCAA lambasted the HC Collegium and warned that the Bar Association is taking very serious note of the developments taking place in the Telangana High Court Collegium.

"Equal opportunity is the mandate given by the Indian Constitution. Nobody can take away this mandate. We are living in a democratic society," Mr. Raghunath said and added, "We have been repeatedly informing Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and the Collegium that you cannot lose sight of social justice. Moreover, there must be proportionate representation from all the communities."

He further alleged that the Telangana High Court Collegium is not considering the marginalised lawyers and is selectively picking, without any proportionate representation.

Meanwhile, resolutions were passed at the meeting stating that it is the duty of the High Court to provide parking facilities to advocates. Senior and women advocates must be allowed to park their vehicles inside the Old Building of the High Court. Multilevel car parking should be constructed immediately, the association demanded. It also sought at least 50 acres of land to be allotted for house site for advocates. The association further alleged that corruption had become rampant in filing petitions and orders.

"If these resolutions are not considered or a transparent process is not taken up, we will go for an agitation," Mr. Raghunath issued an ultimatum. He said that very soon, the Telangana High Court Bar Association will submit a representation to the President of India, the PM, the Chief Justice of India, and the Union law minister.

THCAA secretary Jalli Narender alleged that the High Court Advocates Association Executive Committee has submitted several representations to Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and senior judge Naveen Rao explaining the advocates' issues in the High Court, but in vain. He condemned the Collegium's attitude in recommending the names to the SC Collegium without the confidence of the Bar Association.

THCAA vice-president Pasham Krishna Reddy, senior advocates and members of THCAA Jagan, Mumtaz Pasha, K.V Ramarao, and others expressed their views.1