The hearing on the vacation petitions filed by former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and others seeking to revoke its earlier orders directing the CBI, ED and state police to conduct preliminary probe into their alleged misdeeds has become controversial.

The petitions will now be heard by a third bench from Dec 12. The transfer to third bench follows objections raised by the counsel for the original petitioner and Pulivendula YSR Congress MLA Vijayamma.

First, the hearing was taken up by a bench consisting of chief justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur and Justice N. Ramamohana rao. However, the bench transferred the case to another bench consisting of Justices Eswaraiah and Apparao after the Chief Justice withdrew himself from the bench saying that he held shares in Reliance Company.

The second bench, headed by Justice Eswaraiah, clubbed together all the petitions of Chandrababu Naidu, Ramoji Rao and others and took up hearing today. However, when the bench began the arguments, petitioner Vijayamma’s lawyer Mr Sushilkumar objected to the transfer saying that the bench consisting of justices Eswaraiah and Apparao delivered several judgments in favour of Naidu in the past.

Finally, Chief Justice intervened and said that that the cases would be now heard by another bench and hearing would commence from Monday. The judges are yet to be named by the CJ. (JUBS)