Fill Hyderabad High Court vacancies with Telangana natives: MP B Vinod Kumar

Hyderabad: Karimnagar MP B. Vinod Kumar on Sunday said that both the Supreme Court and Union law ministry should consider filling up the vacancies in the Hyderabad High Court with natives of Telangana State as per its entitlement.

He stated this in view of the Apex Court striking down the National Judicial Appointment Commission and deciding to follow the Collegium system for appointing judges.

There were 22 vacancies against the sanctioned strength of 49 judges as on date in the Hyderabad High Court which is presently serving both the states.

The MP said that the Centre had already notified the strength of High Court judges for the High Court of TS as 19 out of 49. Of the 27 judges working at present, only six are natives of TS.

“As per the norms, two-thirds of the sanctioned strength should be from the Bar and one-third shall be from the judiciary, by promotion from the cadre of district judges. At present, only six judges are native of TS out of the notified strength of 19 for the High Court of TS. There is the need to appoint 13 judges from the State of Telangana against the existing 22 vacancies in the Common High Court,” he said.

“By May 2016, two judges who are natives of TS will retire, taking the vacancies from TS quota to 15. If for any reason the above ratio is not followed, and equilibrium not maintained, there will be a manifest of injustice to the people of TS. In that case, there was every likelihood of the TS people losing their faith and hope in the judicial system,” the MP said.