The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : HC Judges’ appeal for more court buildings

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

HC Judges’ appeal for more court buildings

Staff Reporter

Minister Durai Murugan assures prompt action

Photo: M. Moorthy

SPACE PROBLEM: The Treasury office at the Public office campus in Pudukottai. —

PUDUKOTTAI: Minister for Public Works and Law Durai Murugan on Sunday assured Judges of the Madras High Court that additional space would be allotted for the court complex here.

The Minister was replying to a plea by Justice S. J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice S. Rajeshwaran at a function held at the Public Office campus to mark the inaugural of the buildings for the District Legal Services Authority.

The Public Office campus, built during the Pudukottai Samasthanam period, houses various courts, Revenue Divisional Office, Taluk Office and District Treasury office.

Setting the ball in motion, Pudukottai Bar Association president A. Chandrasekaran said that dearth of space, caused by the presence of non-judicial departments in the campus, posed a bottleneck for starting new courts.

For instance, proposals for starting the Mahila court and the Judicial Magistrate court would materialise, only if additional buildings were made available.

He also wanted construction of the Bar Association building for which an estimate for Rs.55 lakh had been prepared years ago.

Endorsing the view, Justice Mukhopadhaya urged Mr. Murugan to allot additional buildings for the courts.

As the Portfolio Judge for Pudukottai District, Justice Rajeshwaran said that the Public Office building should be a cent per cent court campus.

He said that as the Portfolio Judge, he could well realise the hardship caused by the dearth of space for the courts.

He suggested that non-judicial departments be shifted to the Collectorate campus, also built during the Samasthanam period.

“Shifting of these offices to the Collectorate will not cause any inconvenience to any section,” he said.

The Minister, who was visibly moved by the plea made by the Judges, assured that he would immediately apprise Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi of their demand and take necessary action.

He also said that as both Public Works and Law Departments were under him, it facilitated the transfer of the PWD land to the Judiciary Department for the construction of new court buildings.

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