Andhra Pradesh High Court lawyers condemn proposed transfers of Justices Battu Devanand, D Ramesh

The Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates Association (APHCAA) on Friday resolved to protest against the Supreme Court Collegium's proposal to transfer two judges outside the Andhra Pradesh High Court..At an Extraordinary General Body meeting held on Friday, the APHCAA condemned the arbitrary transfer of Justices Battu Devanand and D Ramesh and urged Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to retain the judges in the Andhra Pradesh High Court."This Extra-Ordinary General Body Meeting is being conducted by the members of Andhra Pradesh, High Court, Advocate Association on 25-11-2022 to resolve condemning Arbitrary transfer of Hon'ble Judges of Andhra Pradesh, High Court, Sri Justice Battu Devanand and Sri Justice D.Ramesh, and requesting the Hon'ble Judge Chief Justice of India to retain the Hon'ble Judges in High Court of Andhra Pradesh," the resolution stated..The resolution, signed by 28 members, called for lawyers to abstain from courts on Friday and to take up different programs protesting the proposed transfers. It also requested the Chairman of the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh to condemn the transfers and to take necessary steps to to retain the two judges..The Supreme Court Collegium recently recommended the transfers of Justices Devanand and Ramesh, and of five more judges on Thursday. While Justice Devanand was recommended for transfer to the Madras High Court, Justice Ramesh was recommended for transfer to the Allahabad High Court.Pertinently, the name of Justice Nikhil S Kariel of Gujarat High Court was not on the list.At an earlier meeting on November 17, the Collegium had proposed the transfer of Justice Kariel to Patna High Court. This proposed transfer, albeit without a formal statement, had raised a storm, with the Gujarat High Court Bar going on protests against the transfer and even meeting with the CJI to convey their objections.Justice A Abhishek Reddy and Justice T Raja, whose names were also considered along with Justice Kariel on November 17, were recommended for transfer by the Collegium, despite protests by lawyers at the High Courts of Telangana and Madras.