Kurnool: Advocates of the Rayalaseema region have extended a warm welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ahead of their visit to Kurnool on October 16.

On the occasion, they have strongly reiterated their long-pending demand for the immediate establishment of a High Court bench at Kurnool, in line with the spirit of the Sribagh Pact of 1937.

Senior advocate Y Jaya Raju speaking to The Hans India on Wednesday has emphasised that this is not a new demand but a constitutional commitment and a moral imperative that successive governments have failed to fulfill despite multiple assurances.

The resolution to establish a High Court bench at Kurnool was unanimously passed in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on November 21, 2024, after the state cabinet’s approval.

The proposal was forwarded to the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court for consultation, as mandated by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

According to legal provisions, the State government has the prerogative to initiate the process in consultation with the Chief Justice, while the Central government’s role is limited to formal approval and notification once consent is received.

The Union Law Minister also clarified in Parliament that the Centre will approve the bench immediately upon receipt of a proper proposal from the State.

Despite this, the proposal continues to remain in limbo, with no official consent from the High Court. The Kurnool District Administration has already submitted a feasibility report outlining infrastructure facilities for 15 judges and court staff. Advocates point out the stark contrast with Maharashtra, where multiple High Court benches were established swiftly at Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Kolhapur, while the Rayalaseema proposal remains pending even under the NDA coalition government. This inordinate delay, they said, is unjustified and deeply disappointing.

The legal fraternity has urged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to take decisive steps to fulfill the promise made to the people of Rayalaseema. “This is not a matter of politics, but of constitutional rights and regional justice,” said Jaya Raju,

Convener of Rayalaseema Advocates JAC. He appealed to the Prime Minister to ensure full cooperation from the Centre and to the State Government to execute the decision without further delay. “Rayalaseema has waited long enough.

Establishing the High Court bench at Kurnool is not a favour — it is a rightful and overdue act of justice,” he asserted.