The President of India, on 26 December 2018, issued orders bifurcating the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad into High Court for the State of Telangana with the principal seat at Hyderabad and the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, with the principal seat at Amaravati. The bifurcation and the constitution of separate High Courts for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh came into effect from 1 January 2019.
From 2 June 2014, after the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 came into force, the court was renamed and served as a common high court for both of the states until 1 January 2019. A separate high court was established for Andhra Pradesh and inaugurated on 1 January 2019 and it was named as Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The Telangana High Court, which has its seat in Hyderabad, has a total sanctioned strength of 42 judges, comprising 32 permanent judges and 10 additional judges.[3][4]
Since July 2025, Aparesh Kumar Singh has been serving as the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court.[5][6]
A new building for the High Court is under construction on a site spanning 100 acres at Budvel, Rajendranagar, in Ranga Reddy district, Telangana.[7]
History of the judiciary
The court during the Nizam era was known as Adalatul Aaliya Osmania (Higher court of Osman Ali Khan) and on November 5, 1956, after Andhra Pradesh was formed under the States Reorganisation Act 1956 it was renamed as ‘High Court of Andhra Pradesh’.[8] On 1 January 2019, the High Court was bifurcated into Andhra Pradesh High Court and Telangana High Court after the formation of the state of Telangana.[9]
The High Court functioned from five different locations, before the present location was finalised. The court was earlier located at Pathergatti. In 1909 it was shifted to the residence of Nawab Sir Asman Jah. Later in 1912, the court was shifted to Public Gardens and within 4 months it was once again shifted to the residence of Nawab Nawab Salar Jung Bahadur, at Chatta Bazaar. In 1914, the court was once again shifted to the residence of Nawab Sartaj Jung at Saifabad. During this period the construction of the present building was started and the court shifted to its new location in 1919. The building could accommodate six judges besides accommodation for the office staff, record rooms, and advocates' hall. As number of judges increased a second building was built in 1958 and later in 1978, third building was added. In 2023, it was proposed to shift the court to a new building to be constructed at Rajendranagar.[8][11][12]
View of the High Court in 2024
The plan of the High Court was drawn up by Shankar Lal of Jaipur and the local engineer who executed the design was Mehar Ali Fazil. Its chief engineer was Nawab Khan Bahadur Mirza Akbar Baig. The High Court was built on the ruins of the Qutb Shahi palaces, Hina Mahal and Nadi Mahal.[8] The construction started on 15 April 1915 and was completed on 31 March 1919. On 20 April 1920, the high court building was inaugurated by the seventh NizamMir Osman Ali Khan.
In 1944, on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations a silver model of the high court weighing about 300kg was presented to the Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan by the judiciary. The model is now in the Nizam's Museum in Purani Haveli.[13]
When the High Court of Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 as a consequence of States Reorganisation Act, the number of judges was increased to 12. The existing accommodation was inadequate to meet the requirements of the larger High Court and so the additional building was constructed in 1958–59. The entire office rooms, record rooms, chambers of advocates (42 in all) and the rooms for law officers were located in this building. The record rooms, Officer rooms in the main building were modified to provide chambers and Court Hall accommodation for 14 Judges.
By 1970, the institution of cases of the High Court has gone up to 35,000 as against 20,000 in 1958. The number of judges increased from 14 to 32. To provide additional accommodation for judges, staff, advocates and law officers, the third building was proposed and the work was completed in 1976. The law officers strength was increased from 8 to 18 by 1980 and the institution of cases had gone up to 55,593 cases. In 1979 a plan was drawn for the four-storey annexe building and due to lack of funds that could not be taken up. There are currently 32 court halls and 38 chambers located in the High Court main building and annexe buildings. The present building for which the foundation stone is being laid by the Chief Justice will have eight court halls and eight chambers for the judges. Some of the court halls located in the verandahs and in the office rooms will be restored to their original position. The institution of cases had risen from 20,078 from 1958 to 1982, 123 including miscellaneous cases in 1985. The pending cases in the High Court as on 24 July 1987 was 84,855 (i.e., 66,276 main cases + 18,579 miscellaneous cases). After the completion of this building, the main building and annexes buildings can locate 32 court halls and 38 chambers.
2009 Major fire
On 31 August 2009 a major accidental fire broke out through the building reportedly causing severe damage to the library housing rare England law reports, Privy Council journals and a life-size portrait of the Nizam and portraits of judges. However, the records of the court are reportedly safe. The structural integrity of the building also may have been compromised.[15][16]
The Judges
The Telangana High Court sits at Hyderabad and has jurisdiction over the state of Telangana. It may have a maximum of 42 judges of which 32 may be permanently appointed and 10 may be additionally appointed. Currently, it has 29 judges.[17]
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