Andhra Pradesh High Court Has Only Six Judges Vacancies: Union Law Minister

New Delhi: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that only six vacancies of judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court are yet to be filled up. The Law Minister informed Rajya Sabha in response to a query by YSR Congress MP Vijayasai Reddy, who had asked whether there are vacancies of 9 Additional Judges and 2 permanent judges in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. 

In a written reply, Kiren Rijiju said the number of approved judge strength is 37 (28-Permanent, 9-Additional) judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court while adding 24 Judges (Permanent) are already working as of August 1, 2022. 
 
He said On July 20, 2022 the Supreme Court Collegium recommended elevation of 7 Judicial Officers (JO) as judges of Andhra Pradesh High Court. With this, the number of judges in the High Court has gone up to 31, the Union minister said. He further said the government has not received any recommendations from the High Court collegium regarding the vacancies of the remaining six judges.

Kiren Rijiju stated that filling up vacancies of high court judges is a continuous process of coordination between the judiciary and the administration. This will require consultations and approval between various constitutional bodies at the state and central level, the minister said, adding the Central government is committed to expedite the appointment of judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

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