The Supreme Court on Friday gave a “last chance” to both the Central and the Telangana governments to respond to the Andhra Pradesh government’s plea seeking a “fair, equitable and expeditious division of assets and liabilities” involving institutions or corporations of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh between it (Andhra Pradesh) and the bifurcated Telangana under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014.
A bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice MM Sundresh gave the Centre and Telangana government four weeks notice to file their reply and two weeks to Andhra Pradesh to file a rejoinder, if any.
The apex court then posted the matter for hearing in the last week of July on a regular hearing day.
‘No reply is filed’ Appearing for Andhra Pradesh, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the bench that notice on the Andhra Pradesh plea was issued on 9 January, 2023, and since then no reply had been filed.
At the outset of the hearing, Justice Maheshwari said that Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj (meaning the Central government) could help in resolving the matter.
As Singhvi said that the matter involved ₹1.42 lakh crore and Telangana was sitting over it, Justice Maheshwari suggested that they could appoint a retired judge to mediate in the matter in the next two months and post the matter for consideration in August.
The bench said that they could list the matter next week on this aspect.“We take it next week.If mediation can be done.
(Then) We will take up the matter in August (with the outcome of the mediation),” the bench said.
However, Singhvi said that mediation will not work and instead suggested arbitration.
