Sadananda Gowda said the creation of a new High Court is in the hands of the Chief Minister and Chief Justice of the common High Court for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. (File photo)
Union Law Minister DV Sadandanda Gowda today said the Centre has no role in creation of a new High Court for Telangana, rubbishing the ruling TRS' charge that the Narendra Modi dispensation is being "insensitive" on the issue and dragging the matter under political pressure.
Holding that the state government's stand on the issue is "unacceptable and intolerable," Mr Gowda said the creation of a new High Court is in the hands of the Chief Minister and Chief Justice of the common High Court for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
"It's not in our hands. Creation of new High Court for Telangana. It's in the hands of Chief Minister and Chief Justice of that High Court (which is common for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and has not been bifurcated after the division of erstwhile state in June 2014)," Mr Gowda told news agency PTI.
TRS lawmaker Kavitha has alleged that the Centre is insensitive in not bifurcating the High Court following division of Andhra Pradesh and that her father and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would not even hesitate to hold a protest (dharna) in Delhi.
She also alleged that the matter is being dragged by the Centre under political pressure from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Countering the TRS on the issue, Mr Gowda said "If the Chief Minister provides all the infrastructure and other things, the High Court will take care of rest of the things. Simply putting the blame on the Centre, it's not fair on anybody... even the Chief Minister or anybody of Telangana...this (delay in bifurcating HC) is because of the central government, it's quite unacceptable and it's intolerable," Mr Gowda said over phone when contacted.
Asked about Ms Kavitha's charge, Mr Gowda said, "for no reason, if he (Rao) holds a dharna, people will evaluate it."
"Central government has no role to play (in bifurcation of HC). It's not in our hands. Unnecessarily blaming central government, it's not fair on the part of the Chief Minister or any persons of Telangana State government," he said.
"Judiciary is independent. We give maximum respect to judiciary. Their independence cannot be encroached upon by the Executive at any point of time," he added.
TRS has upped ante on the issue against the backdrop of agitation by lawyers and also judges against provisional allocation of judicial officers between AP and Telangana.
The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad has suspended eleven judges following the agitation against provisional allocation.
Over 100 judges under the banner of Telangana Judges Association on Sunday took out a procession in Hyderabad in protest.