Tamil Nadu lawyers demand due representation for Madras high court judges in Supreme Court

CHENNAI: Due representation for judges from the Madras high court in the Supreme Court, formation of a bench of the apex court in Chennai and reservation for backward classes in promotion in central government services – these are among a dozen resolutions adopted by the Advocates Forum for Social Justice here on Sunday.
According to forum president K Balu, a state special general council was convened to discuss issues concerning the judiciary and 12 resolutions were adopted by it.
He said no judge of the Madras high court had been elevated to the Supreme Court in the past five years. The chartered high court had had even 10% of sitting strength of the Supreme Court at one point of time, he said.
At present, only one judge from the Madras high court is in the apex court. The forum requested the apex court collegium to consider Tamil Nadu’s case and do the needful.
It also said chief justices of high courts should be from the same states concerned and added that such a move would have positive impact on the administrative side of the high court.
Noting that as of now only Scheduled Caste/Tribe employees are entitled to reservation in promotions in central government jobs, the forum said a similar quota should be extended to backward community employees as well.
The forum also called upon the Centre to establish the legal aid centre for social justice in Chennai, stating that despite the lapse of 30 years members of backward communities are unable to avail themselves of the full benefits of the 27% reservation meant for them. In many central government entities, reservation for BC candidates is totally denied, Balu said, adding that a centre comprising jurists and senior lawyers should be established in Chennai to address this issue and offer legal solution to the affected.
The forum also highlighted the long-time demand of legal fraternity in this part of the country and wanted steps to be taken to establish a bench of the Supreme Court at Chennai. Pointing out that at least 25% of all cases being heard by the Supreme Court emanated from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Puducherry, Balu said a litigant from Kanyakumari had to travel 2,897km and spend 50 hours travelling in order to pursue a case in the Supreme Court.
Balu pointed out that the Law Commission of India has in its 229th report recommended formation of four benches of the Supreme Court in the four corners of the country.
Though the state assembly adopted a resolution to make Tamil official language of Madras high court on December 6, 2006, it was yet to be given effect to, Balu said.
By invoking Article 348(2) of the Constitution, high courts of Bihar, Allahabad, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have declared Hindi as official languages. Similar efforts should be made to declare Tamil as official language in madras high court, he said.
The forum also wanted communal census to be taken immediately and sought reservation in jobs for transsexuals.