Lawyers JAC to intensify protest against AP division          

Rajahmundry(AP), Dec 22: The Seemandhra Lawyers Joint Action Committee (JAC) will intensify its agitation in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh and continue to abstain from court work till January 23 next year.

"We will intensify agitation for united Andhra Pradesh. Over 35,000 lawyers/ advocates from 13 districts are on the stir. We will continue boycotting court work till January 23, 2014, till a statement is issued by the central government in favour of united AP," JAC co-convener Muppalla Subba Rao said here.

Over 18 lakhs cases are pending in various courts in 13 Seemandhra districts, he said, adding the lawyers, despite facing severe financial problems, have been protesting against the state bifurcation for the past 144 days. "We will take letters from MLAs in favour of united Andhra Pradesh and hold demonstrations and blockades at MLAs' residences," he said.

The JAC members also urged the MPs and Union ministers to mount pressure on the government to stall the bifurcation of the state. They said members of Bar Council and Bar Association would file a petition in the Supreme Court against the central government's Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013.

Subba Rao alleged that the bill has several loop holes, including not addressing the concerns of people, causes for division of state and it (bill) further creates problems between two regions—Telangana and Seemandhra. He also urged the MLAs to oppose the bill in Assembly and express their views in favour of united Andhra Pradesh.

PTI