History

The historical evolution of the courts in Kothagudem is a testament to the legal and administrative developments in the region. Prior to the establishment ofthe state of Andhra Pradesh, the erstwhile Paloncha taluka of the WarangalDistrict, situated within the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad State during the Nizam’srule, housed a solitary First-Class Magistrate Court. The district’s administrativecentre at that time was located in Warangal. It is noteworthy that the SingareniCollieries Company Ltd (SCCL) was established over a century ago during theBritishcolonial era. This marked a significant juncture in history whenKothagudem was initially integrated into a railway network to facilitate thetransportation of coal and passenger train services.A prominent cultural and religious landmark in the region is the Sree Seetha Ramachandraswamy Vari Devasthanam at Bhadrachalam, which was constructedby the devout Bhakta Ramadas in the year 1674 A.D. This temple has since evolvedinto a renowned pilgrimage site, situated approximately 40 kilometers away fromKothagudem, nestled along the banks of the Godavari River.The solitary Magistrate Court serving Paloncha was repositioned toRamavaram Village in the Kothagudem Taluka in 1953, responding to a requestfrom the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to better serve itsemployees. This court operated from Ramavaram until 1970 when it was relocatedto Babu Camp in the Kothagudem area, in compliance with the provisions of Act 1/70. It’s pertinent to note that Ramavaram was considered an agency area where the Civil Procedure Code (C.P.C) did not apply, and the Magistrate Court primarilyfunctioned as a Civil Court. Subsequently, it was relocated adjacent to the TahsildarOffice in Kothagudem, within premises provided by SCCL.In the intervening years, the present Court Complex was erected in WriterBasthi, Kothagudem, in 1982, serving as the new judicial facility. Simultaneously, aSenior Civil Judge Court was established in Kothagudem. Following this, several additional courts were sanctioned, including three Additional Magistrate Courts,one Additional Senior Civil Judge’s Court, and one V Additional District andSessions Judge’s Court, all functioning under the jurisdiction of the PrincipalDistrict and Sessions Judge in Khammam.On June 2, 2022, the new Judicial District of Bhadradri Kothagudem wasofficially inaugurated in accordance with G.O. Ms. No. 61 LAQ (LA, LA & J, HOMECOURTS-A2) DEPARTMENT, dt: 01-06-2022 of the Government of Telangana. Sincethen, the Principal District and Sessions Court, Bhadradri Kothagudem, has beenoperational, encompassing a total of 13 courts across various categories, including three (3) District Judges Courts (including a POCSO Court), two (2) Senior Civil Judge’s Courts, and eight (8) Magistrate Courts. This judicial framework serves theentirety of the Bhadradri Kothagudem revenue district, which includes Yellandu,Bhadrachalam, and Manuguru. Additionally, the District Legal Services Authorityoperates within the jurisdiction of the Principal District and Sessions Judge’s Courtin Kothagudem, with the Principal District and Sessions Judge serving as theChairman and the Principal Senior Civil Judge as the Secretary of the District LegalServices Authority, Kothagudem.The Bhadradri Kothagudem District is flanked by significant industrial entities, such as the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), the Heavy WaterPlant (Atomic Energy), the Bhadrachalam Paper Board (BPL), the KothagudemThermal Power Station (KTPS), Nava Ltd (formerly known as Nava BharatVentures Limited), and the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).Moreover, the Kinnerasani River is located at a distance of 12 kilometers fromPalvancha town, and the Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary, covering an area of 635.4 square kilometers, serves as a habitat for diverse wildlife species, includingleopards, spotted deer, gaurs, and a wide array of bird species. This sanctuaryderives its name from the Kinnerasani River, further enriching the region’s natural heritage