Hyderabad : Telangana high court on Friday refused to extend interim protection to two govt doctors embroiled in the long-running Telangana-Andhra Pradesh cadre allocation dispute, observing that the core issue is already pending before the Supreme Court and any grievances must be addressed there.
The bench directed the respondents to file their counters by Oct 29, warning that failure to do so could attract a penalty of ₹25,000 per day. The case relates to the allocation of medical department employees between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation of the erstwhile united state in 2014. A division bench comprising Justices K Lakshman and K Sujana passed the order while hearing petitions filed by I Srilakshmi and Ratnam Andallu.
The two doctors challenged a provisional allocation order issued in Jan 2016 following the state’s bifurcation. a division bench dismissed the writ petitions in March 2022, prompting several affected employees to approach the Supreme Court While the high court had initially granted interim relief. The petitioners contend that under Section 77 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, the power of final allocation vests with the Centre and that relieving employees before final orders are issued is not legally sustainable. Following the Supreme Court’s order of April 24, 2025, the doctors submitted representations to the Telangana govt in May 2025. During Friday’s hearing, counsel for Telangana informed the high court that the Supreme Court had, in Aug 2025, asked both states to explore the possibility of either continuing the employees in their present positions or absorbing them permanently. The high court was also informed that, in March 2026, the Supreme Court observed that certain employees could not continue in Telangana, directed that all appeals be listed for final hearing and vacated an interim order in a connected civil appeal. Noting that a status quo order granted by a division bench on Sept 17 had already been extended until Oct 8, the high court on Friday declined to continue the interim protection and adjourned the matter for further hearing.
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“Accordingly, Telangana proposed that Andhra Pradesh bear pensionary benefits if permanent merger was not feasible, but Andhra Pradesh opposed this in a Feb 2026 affidavit filed before the Supreme Court,” added the counsel. The judges questioned how employees could be directed to move to another state without adequately considering the Supreme Court’s orders and the stand taken by the Union govt. The court cautioned that the matter should not reach a stage where the court is compelled to summon the secretary, department of personnel and training. The apex court had directed the state to take a decision on their continuance in the present posts within a month, without citing the pendency of related cases as a reason for delay. Download the TOI App.
During earlier hearings, the bench had expressed strong displeasure over the manner in which the cadre allocation process was being handled. The bench had earlier warned that it could also require the appearance of the principal secretary, medical, health and family welfare department, and even the chief secretary if a proper status report was not placed before the court.