Amaravati, Oct 5 (IANS): Five additional judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court were sworn in as judges at a ceremony held at the High Court premises here on Monday.
Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice Lisa Gill administered oath to Justice Maheswara Rao Kuncheam alias Kuncham, Justice Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekar alias T.C.D. Sekhar, Justice Challa Gunaranjan, Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma, and Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao.
The notification of the appointment of five new permanent judges was read out before the swearing-in.
The Supreme Court collegium, in its meeting held on September 23, had approved the proposals for appointment of the following additional judges as permanent judges of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
President Droupadi Murmu issued orders appointing them as judges on September 30.
Justices Kuncham Maheswara Rao, Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar, and Challa Gunaranjan took the oath as additional judges of the High Court on October 28, 2024. Similarly, Justices Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma and Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao took the oath as Additional Judges on January 24, 2025.
Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao obtained a Bachelor of Academic Laws & Bachelor of Laws from SV University, Tirupathi and enrolled with the Bar Council of India on February 17, 1998. In 2000, he shifted his practice to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad. He served as standing counsel for several prominent public sector undertakings, including the Food Corporation of India, Central Warehousing Corporation, HPCL, United India Insurance Company, New India Assurance Company and other reputed financial institutions.
Justice Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from VR Law College, Nellore and enrolled as an advocate on March 11, 1999, on the rolls of the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh. He served as the government pleader for Commercial Taxes for the state of Andhra Pradesh in the High Court from September 2019 until his elevation to the Bench.
Justice Challa Gunaranjan completed his degree and law studies at Hyderabad and enrolled as an advocate in 2001. He served as standing counsel for the Medical Council of India from 2011 to 2013 and appeared for various educational institutions at the High Court. He also appeared for various Government of India Public Sector Undertakings as special counsel before tribunals and the High Court.
Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma obtained a BL Degree from VR Law College, Nellore, affiliated with Sri Venkateswara University. He enrolled as an advocate on March 2, 1994, on the rolls of the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh. He was selected as a district judge by direct recruitment and joined the higher judicial service in 2007.
Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from VR Law College, Nellore and further obtained a Doctorate in Law from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. He served as Additional District & Sessions Judge, Eluru, West Godavari District, from February 25, 2014.
