Bar Association wants a Sessions Court set up at Bhadrachalam

Kothagudem Bhadrachalam Bar Association urges establishment of Sessions or Assistant Sessions Court to improve legal access, reduce case transfers, and speed justice for tribal populations, highlighting 600 pending cases and long travel burdens across Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh regions

Kothagudem: Bhadrachalam Bar Association has been stressing on the need of setting up a Sessions Court or an Assistant Sessions Court at Bhadrachalam.

The members of the Bar Association state that setting up a Sessions Court is crucial for strengthening legal services in the Bhadrachalam area and significantly aid in delivering speedy justice to the local populace.

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The Bar Association president Kodali Srinivasan, vice president Sunnam Ramesh, general secretary Pusala Srinivasa Chary, former president of the association Kota Devadanam and senior advocate Pokala Mohan Krishna have been championing the cause.

They have been calling on the Telangana High Court judges to submit representations regarding the enhancement of legal services within the Bhadrachalam region in which the population of tribals is high.

Speaking to Telangana Today Devadanam informed that criminal cases involving offences punishable by imprisonment for more than three years are primarily handled by the Sessions Court. The court at Bhadrachalam is Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) Court and does not have jurisdiction to handle such cases.

Hence cases falling under the jurisdiction of Bhadrachalam and Manuguru are currently being transferred to distant locations such as Kothagudem causing significant difficulties to both the local public and legal practitioners. There are nearly 600 pending cases falling under the jurisdiction of the Sessions Court from both the areas.

The Bar Association also wants Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) Courts established at Yetapaka and Chintoor of Polavaram district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The association office bearers recently called on AP High Court Judge Justice N Harinath and submitted a representation.

With the formation of Polavaram district with Rampachodavaram as the district headquarters, residents of the Chintoor, VR Puram, Kunavaram and Ytapaka mandals are now compelled to travel over 100 kilometres to reach Rampachodavaram to access legal services.

As the above areas constitute a ‘Scheduled Area’ predominantly inhabited by adivasi communities, there is an urgent need to ensure that legal services are easily accessible to the local population. Until such a permanent court is established a temporary ‘Camp Court’ should be conducted twice a week for the benefit of the locals, the association leaders suggested.