The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : People’s meet for High Court Bench

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

People’s meet for High Court Bench

Staff Reporter

Chandy, Sivankutty seek focussed approach to achieve objective

Bar association to intensify agitation
Alleges move to shift headquarters of appellate tribunal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy has urged the members of the Joint Action Council to be practical and realistic while demanding a High Court Bench in the capital city. He was speaking at a people’s convention organised by the council in the city on Monday.

Terming the demand just, Mr. Chandy, however, stopped short of criticising the judiciary and said that he did not want to have any confrontation with it.

Referring to the proposed indefinite boycott of legal proceedings called by the members of the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association from Monday, Mr. Chandy advised the members not to give way to emotion.

“Before going ahead with the decision to intensify the strike, we should sit together and discuss with all the parties concerned including M. Vijayakumar, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, on how we should go ahead with the agitation in the future,” he said. President of the bar association C.K. Sitaram, who presided over the meeting, said that the agitation would continue indefinitely until the demand was met. He alleged that there was a move to shift the headquarters of the appellate tribunal from the city to Ernakulam.

V. Sivankutty, MLA, emphasised the need to reach an understanding on the course of action before the Lok Sabha elections.

He expressed scepticism in convening a meeting with the State Law Minister as suggested by the Leader of the Opposition. “I do not think there is any point in discussing it with the State Law Minister. The discussion should be held with the Union Minister for Law,” he said.

The meeting was preceded by a massive rally organised by the members of the action council. The function was attended by Pannian Ravindran, MP; V. Surendran Pillai, MLA; Congress leader V.S. Sivakumar; freedom fighter K.E. Mammen; Shiv Sena leader M.S. Bhuvananchandran; and members of NGOs and Federation of Residents Association Trivandrum.

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