Significant Changes in Indian Judiciary: Justice Battu Devanand Returns to Andhra Pradesh, Three Judges Reposted to Telangana

Important updates have come from the Indian judiciary. The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended transferring Justice Battu Devanand from the Madras High Court back to the Andhra Pradesh High Court. At the same time, the Collegium has suggested reassigning three judges who were earlier transferred to other states, back to the Telangana High Court.

These decisions were made during the first meeting of the Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai. The Collegium approved transfers of 21 judges across High Courts in ten different states.

Justice Battu Devanand was originally appointed as a judge in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on January 13, 2020. He was later moved to the Madras High Court on April 10, 2023. Now, following the Collegium’s recommendation, he is set to return to Andhra Pradesh. Born on April 14, 1966, in Gudivada, Justice Devanand completed his law degree at Andhra University Law College and began practicing law in Visakhapatnam District Court in 1989.

Regarding Telangana High Court, the Collegium has proposed transferring Acting Chief Justice Justice Sujoy Paul to the Calcutta High Court. Justice Sujoy Paul, originally from Madhya Pradesh, was transferred to Telangana on March 26, 2024. Since January 21, 2025, he has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice after the previous Chief Justice moved to Bombay High Court.

Three judges are also being reposted to Telangana High Court:

• Justice Annireddy Abhishek Reddy

• Justice Kanneganti Lalitha

• Justice Chillakuru Sumalatha

Justice Annireddy Abhishek Reddy, born November 7, 1967, in Lingampally, Rangareddy district, studied law at Osmania Law College. He became a judge at Telangana High Court in August 2019 and was transferred to Patna High Court in May 2023. Now, he will return to Telangana.

Justice Kanneganti Lalitha hails from Jammulapalem, Bapatla district. She enrolled as an advocate in 1994 and practiced in civil, criminal, constitutional, taxation, and service law. She served as standing counsel for various institutions. Appointed to Andhra Pradesh High Court in May 2020, she was transferred to Telangana High Court in November 2021 and then to Karnataka High Court in July 2023. She is now moving back to Telangana High Court.

Justice Chillakuru Sumalatha, born February 5, 1972, in Nellore, earned her law degree from Padmavathi Mahila University, Tirupati. She was selected as a district judge in 2007 and served in multiple districts. She was appointed to Telangana High Court in October 2021 and transferred to Karnataka High Court in November 2023. According to the Collegium, she will now return to Telangana High Court.