Even as a Bill introduced by the Union Law Ministry to rename the Madras High Court as the High Court of Chennai awaits Parliamentary nod, the State Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday urging the Centre to rename it as the High Court of Tamil Nadu.
Moving the resolution in the House, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said that the High Court was located in the city of Chennai but has jurisdiction over the whole State of Tamil Nadu.
“It would not be appropriate to name the High Court which has jurisdiction over the whole of Tamil Nadu as the High Court of Chennai. Hence, it is befitting that the High Court which is presently called the High Court of Madras be renamed as the High Court of Tamil Nadu. This House calls upon the government of India to move necessary amendments to the Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha so as to change the name of the High Court of Madras as the High Court of Tamil Nadu instead of the High Court of Chennai,” the resolution stated, pointing out that as per an Act passed in 1996, Chennai denoted only the city. The resolution was passed unanimously in the House and all parties including the opposition DMK welcomed the resolution moved by the Chief Minister. Soon after the resolution was passed, Ms. Jayalalithaa also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to take immediate action in this regard.
Earlier this month, the Centre had introduced ‘The High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill, 2016’ in the Lok Sabha to rename the Bombay, Calcutta and Madras High Courts. As per the Bill, from the appointed day, the High Court of Madras would be known as the High Court of Chennai.
