Apprehending violence during the hearing of suo motu contempt of court proceedings issued against two lawyers based here, the Madras High Court has laid down strict conditions for the hearing to be held at its Principal Seat in Chennai on Wednesday.
In a notification issued on Tuesday, the High Court’s Registrar General P. Kalaiyarasan has stated that a Division Bench of Justices S. Tamilvanan and C.T. Selvam had ordered that the hearing on the contempt case shall be held in-camera “to prevent proposed illegal activities.”
The contempt proceedings have been initiated against Madurai Bar Association (MBA) secretary A.K. Ramasamy and president A. Dharmarajan for their “improper conduct” during a protest by a section of advocates here on June 20 against the compulsory helmet rule. The notification also stated that the Bench had ordered adequate police protection both in the court hall and on the corridors during the hearing. Further, barricades should be placed at appropriate places and the “contemnors must be allowed to be accompanied by only two advocates each”.
“Except court staff and police personnel providing security, others are not permitted, to prevent any untoward incident or causing loss to public property on the court premises,” the notification read. In a first of its kind move, the judges have also ordered video recording of the entire court proceedings during the hearing on the suo motu action and directed the Registrar General to place the video cameras at appropriate places inside the court hall.
Meanwhile, intelligence personnel here said that the notification had been issued following information that around 500 advocates from the southern districts had planned to visit Chennai and storm the court hall during the hearing of the contempt proceedings.
Issues slew of directives to Registrar General
