Five judges sworn in at Andhra Pradesh High Court in Amaravati
Synopsis
Five additional judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court were permanently elevated at a swearing-in ceremony in Amaravati on 5 October, completing a process that began with Supreme Court collegium approval on 23 September and President Murmu's formal orders on 30 September. The elevation strengthens the Bench at a court navigating a heavy pending caseload from its seat in the state capital.
Key Takeaways
Chief Justice Lisa Gill administered the oath to five judges at the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Amaravati on 5 October 2026 .
The judges elevated are Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao , Justice T.C.D.
Sekhar , Justice Challa Gunaranjan , Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma , and Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao .
The Supreme Court collegium approved their elevation on 23 September ; President Droupadi Murmu issued appointment orders on 30 September .
Three of the five had become additional judges on 28 October 2024 ; the remaining two on 24 January 2025 .
The permanent elevation adds judicial capacity to the Andhra Pradesh High Court amid ongoing efforts to reduce vacancies across Indian High Courts.
Five judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court were formally sworn in as permanent judges at a ceremony held at the High Court premises in Amaravati on Monday, 5 October 2026. The oath was administered by Chief Justice Lisa Gill of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, marking the formal elevation of five jurists who had previously served as additional judges on the Bench.
The Five Judges and Their Appointment
The judges who took the oath of office are 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. Their appointment notifications were read out at the ceremony before the swearing-in.
The Supreme Court collegium, at its meeting held on 23 September, had approved the proposals for converting these five from additional judges to permanent judges of the High Court. President Droupadi Murmu subsequently issued formal orders of appointment on 30 September.
Their Earlier Elevation as Additional Judges
Justices Kuncham Maheswara Rao, Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar, and Challa Gunaranjan had previously taken oath as additional judges on 28 October 2024. Justices Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma and Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao had been elevated as additional judges on 24 January 2025. Monday's ceremony formalises their permanent status on the Bench.
Profiles of the Newly Sworn-In Judges
Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao holds a Bachelor of Academic Laws and Bachelor of Laws from SV University, Tirupathi, and enrolled with the Bar Council of India on 17 February 1998. He shifted his practice to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in 2000 and served as standing counsel for institutions including the Food Corporation of India, Central Warehousing Corporation, HPCL, United India Insurance Company, and New India Assurance Company.
Justice Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar obtained his Bachelor of Laws from VR Law College, Nellore and enrolled as an advocate on 11 March 1999 with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh. He served as 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 in 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 and Government of India public sector undertakings before tribunals and the High Court.
Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma holds a BL Degree from VR Law College, Nellore, affiliated with Sri Venkateswara University, and enrolled as an advocate on 2 March 1994 with 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 his Bachelor of Laws from VR Law College, Nellore and a Doctorate in Law from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. He served as Additional District and Sessions Judge, Eluru, West Godavari District, from 25 February 2014 before his elevation.
Significance for the Andhra Pradesh Bench
The permanent elevation of five judges strengthens judicial capacity at the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which has been operating out of its relocated seat at Amaravati. This comes amid broader national efforts to reduce vacancies across High Courts, as the Supreme Court collegium continues its active review of appointments across the country. The Bench is now better positioned to address the pending caseload in the state.
Point of View
But it also reflects a wider, systemic problem: Indian High Courts continue to operate with significant vacancy gaps, and each batch appointment draws attention to how slowly the collegium-to-Presidential-order pipeline moves. The gap between these judges' initial elevation as additional judges — some as far back as October 2024 — and their permanent appointment underscores that the process, while now complete, is rarely swift. For litigants in Andhra Pradesh, the real question is whether this bench strength translates into measurable reduction in case pendency.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which five judges were sworn in at the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 5 October 2026?
The five judges sworn in are Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao, Justice Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar (alias T.C.D. Sekhar), Justice Challa Gunaranjan, Justice Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma, and Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao. They were elevated from additional judges to permanent judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Who administered the oath at the Andhra Pradesh High Court swearing-in ceremony?
Chief Justice Lisa Gill of the Andhra Pradesh High Court administered the oath to all five judges at the ceremony held at the High Court premises in Amaravati on 5 October 2026.
How were these judges appointed as permanent judges?
The Supreme Court collegium approved the proposals for their permanent appointment at its meeting on 23 September. President Droupadi Murmu subsequently issued formal appointment orders on 30 September, after which the swearing-in ceremony was held.
When had these judges first joined the Andhra Pradesh High Court as additional judges?
Justices Kuncham Maheswara Rao, Thoota Chandra Dhana Sekhar, and Challa Gunaranjan took oath as additional judges on 28 October 2024. Justices Avadhanam Hari Haranadha Sarma and Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao joined as additional judges on 24 January 2025.
What is the significance of this elevation for the Andhra Pradesh High Court?
The permanent elevation of five judges strengthens the judicial bench at Amaravati and enhances the court's capacity to handle its pending caseload. It is part of a broader national push by the Supreme Court collegium to reduce vacancies across High Courts in India.
