The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Chief Justice urges lawyers to end stir

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Tamil Nadu

Chief Justice urges lawyers to end stir

Special Correspondent

“It will affect litigants, especially the poor”

STRENGTHENING INFRASTRUCTURE: Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Ashok Kumar Ganguly laying the foundation for combined court buildings at Paramakudi on Saturday.

RAMANATHAPURAM: Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Ashok Kumar Ganguly has appealed lawyers to give up their ongoing strike and attend courts from Monday.

Laying the foundation for combined court buildings at Paramakudi, near here, on Saturday, he said lawyers were part of the legal system, and without them, it could not function. Furthermore, the strike would affect litigants, especially the poor.

Terming the strike “unfortunate,” Mr. Ganguly said: “There is no legal justification for the strike. The lawyers must help the legal system deliver justice. We will not take any measure that affect the legal fraternity. Hence, I call upon the lawyers to withdraw the strike immediately.”

The country had a strong base of human resources, he said. The quality of justice had to be improved. And the rule of law must be respected.

Minister for Law and Public Works Department Durai Murugan, who presided over the function, said the State government had taken steps to fill 200 civil judge posts. However, a section felt that court staff could be appointed to the post, and the lawyers were against it.

He said the government was adopting a balanced approach to the issue.

Instead of boycotting courts, he said, the lawyers should have brought the issue to his notice. The trend of taking to the streets should end, he said

Mr. Durai Murugan said that as against Rs.1.82 crore spent by the previous government, during its full term, on creating infrastructure for courts, the DMK government had so far spent Rs.177 crore, and Rs.100 crore was earmarked for 2008-09.

N. Paul Vasantha Kumar, judge of the Madras High Court, said the nobility of law had to be preserved and promoted. The glory and greatness of an institution depended on its continued and meaningful performance with dignity. M. Jeyapaul, another judge, said legal literacy in the district was low. So, a comprehensive awareness campaign must be rolled out to educate people about the legal mechanism.

S. Thangavelan, Minister for Slum Clearance; R. Kirlosh Kumar, Collector; J.V. Raj, District Judge; R.K. Chandra Mohan, Chairman, Bar Council; and S. Rajamani, president, Bar Association, Paramakudi, spoke.

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