High Court bench will be set up in Kurnool, says Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The State government will send proposals to the Union Government to take necessary steps for the establishment of a bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Kurnool, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday.

A resolution to this effect would be passed in the Cabinet meeting, which will then be forwarded to the Centre. The government has also decided to pay an honorarium of ₹10,000 per month to junior advocates, he said.

At a review meeting on the Law Department at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the State Government was ready for the setting up of a High Court bench in Kurnool as promised to the people. There was a need to increase the conviction rate in registered cases and ensure that investigations were completed swiftly. Ensure that prosecution creates a sense of belief that those who commit crimes will be punished. While litigation should be pursued to protect government assets, unnecessary legal disputes should not arise from the government’s side. There was a need for a more comprehensive review of the legal department, he said  and directed officials to come back with more detailed information for further evaluation.

Emphasising the need to speed up the process of setting up a top-tier institute in Amaravati, Mr. Naidu said that the International Law School would be established by involving the Bar Council of India Trust. The proposed institution would be on the lines of prestigious institutions like the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru and the India International University of Legal Education and Research in Goa, he said.

Referring to honorarium to junior advocates, Mr. Naidu asked the officials to begin the payment of ₹10,000 per month as honorarium for junior advocates as mentioned in the party’s election manifesto. The proposal for setting up an academy for imparting training to junior advocates will be taken forward, he added.