Vijayawada: A circuit bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was inaugurated in Vijayawada on Monday. The bench was set up in the Auto Nagar area, providing much-needed relief to govt employees in Andhra Pradesh seeking justice in service-related matters.
Dr Lata B Patne, who was appointed as the in-charge of the Vijayawada circuit bench, announced that the bench will function for five days in the third week of every month. She assured that the bench is fully equipped with all necessary facilities to ensure smooth proceedings.
Registrar Naveen Kumar added that the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has allocated land for a permanent CAT bench in the Amaravati region. Until construction is completed, the bench will operate from the fifth floor of the Stalin Corporate Building in Autonagar.
The launch event was attended virtually by CAT chairman Justice Ranjit V More and CAT member Shalini Misra. Additionally, Hyderabad CAT head of department and judicial member Dr Lata B Patne, administrative member VSK Kaumudi, and registrar G Naveen Kumar were present at the ceremony.
Until now, Andhra Pradesh did not have a Circuit Bench, compelling employees and All India Service officers to approach either the Principal Bench in New Delhi or the Hyderabad Bench for their grievances. With the establishment of this Circuit Bench in Vijayawada, litigants will no longer have to travel long distances, as the new bench will cater to service-related disputes within the state.
The Central Administrative Tribunal was established under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, with its Principal Bench in New Delhi and five outlying benches. Over the years, the tribunal’s jurisdiction has expanded to cover 219 central departments, including public sector undertakings, notified universities, and various govt societies. Currently, there are 19 main CAT benches and 22 Circuit Benches across India.
The Hyderabad CAT Bench was initially established in 1986 to handle service-related litigations of Central Govt employees in the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh. Following the bifurcation of the state under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, the necessity for a separate bench in Andhra Pradesh became evident. With approval from the Department of Personnel and Training and the Principal Bench in New Delhi, the Vijayawada Circuit Bench was operationalized from February 17, 2025, exclusively catering to employees in Andhra Pradesh.
Naveen Kumar also said the newly inaugurated Circuit Bench boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure, including a fully air-conditioned court hall with video conferencing facilities, dedicated rooms for advocates and govt counsels, and amenities such as a ladies’ waiting area. The bench is expected to address the pending backlog of around 1,700 cases related to key govt sectors, including Railways, Postal, Defence, BSNL, Income Tax, and Customs, along with grievances of All India Service Officers. He also expressed optimism that the legal fraternity and govt employees would make full use of the modern facilities to achieve the common goal of efficient and timely justice.
