Justice MS Ramachandra Rao appointed acting Chief Justice of TS High Court

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Mamidanna Satya Ratna Sri Ramachandra Rao, the senior-most judge of Telangana High Court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from the date Justice Hima Kohli relinquishes the charge as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court consequent upon her appointment as judge of the Supreme Court of India," read the press communique issued by the Union ministry of law.

Justice Ramachandra Rao was elevated as additional judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 29 June 2012 and appointed a judge of the AP High Court on 4 December next year.

On Thursday, the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, Justice Hima Kohli, was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court. She was among the nine judges recommended by the Supreme Court collegium for appointment as a judge in the apex court.

Justice Kohli in her farewell speech said she was taking back fond memories of Hyderabad with her. "My colleagues accepted me wholeheartedly when I came here. The Bar also accepted me. The Bar and Bench are two sides of the same coin. If any one does not function properly, the whole system will collapse," she said.

Regarding virtual hearings, she said, "Though virtual hearing has its minus points, it also has plus points. We could sit at home and login to courts. Let us hope we can mainstream it but of course it cannot replace physical hearings. Arguments in person cannot be replaced by virtual hearing and that is why we are slowly opening up courts."