The complaint to Naidu and Lokesh has come amidst speculation that the government is contemplating a revamp of the legal team based on the experiences in the past year.
Published Jul 07, 2025 | 10:09 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 07, 2025 | 10:28 AM
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu addressing the media on Thursday, 12 June. IT Minister Nara Lokesh is also seen.
Synopsis: The legal cell of the ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh has reportedly submitted an internal note to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Information Technology and Human Resources Minister Nara Lokesh critising the functioning of the state’s legal team.
An internal note prepared by the legal cell of the ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh on the functioning and performance of law officers is creating a stir in the party and legal circles.
The 76-page note, titled Summary report on appointments and performance of law officers (Government Pleaders, Assistant Government Pleaders and Standing Counsel) in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and State Tribunals from 4 June 2024 to 3 June 2025, has reportedly been submitted to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Information Technology and Human Resources Minister Nara Lokesh.
The period pertains to the one year since the TDP came to power.
The targets, going by the contents of the note, are primarily Advocate General (AG) Dammalapati Srinivas and senior lawyer Posani Venkateswarlu, who happens to be the president of the TDP’s legal cell.
Several examples are cited in the complaint with multiple annexures.
Here are a few:
1. A relatively junior lawyer has been hired to defend the government in the high-profile mining case against former legislator Gali Janardhan Reddy. Result: The Telangana High Court suspended the jail term awarded to Reddy by a CBI court in the Obulapuram illegal mining case and also granted bail to the accused.
2. Posani Venkateswarlu appeared for the accused in the case relating to the alleged adulteration of laddus supplied to devotees at Tirumala. Posani strongly argued that there was no adulteration while the government had been claiming from rooftops that laddus were prepared using adulterated contents during the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy regime.
3. Seven Assistant Government Pleaders (AGPs) and 23 Standing Counsel appointed during the previous regime are continuing in their positions. Usually, all such appointees are replaced if there is a change of regime. The annexure details the fees earned by each of the YSRCP-appointed lawyers who are continuing as AGPs or Standing Counsel.
4. As many as 10 posts of Government Pleaders (GPs) and more than 60 Standing Counsel are still vacant, even a year after the formation of the government. Several important government departments/corporations are currently without standing counsel. These include Andhra Pradesh Transco, Urban Development Authorities, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and National Green Council (See the image).
Vacancies of law officers from the report.
5. In the absence of AGPs and Standing Counsel, the AG has been assigning cases to his “favoured group of lawyers” at substantial cost to the government by way of fees paid. Also, many lawyers who fought for the TDP when it was in the Opposition are waiting to be rewarded with suitable positions.
6. Even among those appointed as GPs, AGPs and Standing Counsel, some are known loyalists of the YSRCP. Therefore, the legal system is either not evincing interest or not making enough efforts to unearth the “scams” committed during the earlier government.
7. Experience and competence have not been counted while making appointments, including public prosecutors. As a result, senior lawyers from Delhi and elsewhere are being hired to argue cases. This comes at a huge cost to the government.
The complaint to Naidu and Lokesh has come amidst speculation that the government is contemplating a revamp of the legal team based on the experiences in the past year.
However, sources said that some recommendations reportedly sent to the AG’s office by either Naidu or Lokesh have also not been honoured.
More than Naidu, Lokesh is reportedly pushing for a wholesale restructuring to ensure that the government has a legal team capable of protecting its interests. It remains to be seen whether the No. 2 will have his way.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
