Lawyers should help in rendering justice and not resort to actions such as “locking up courts,” said Justice M.Y. Eqbal, Chief Justice, Madras High Court, at Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district on Saturday.
Speaking after inaugurating District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate courts at Needamangalam and Valangaiman, the Chief Justice said that he came to know from news reports that lawyers of Tindivanam had locked up the courts in the entire court complex on Friday. They reportedly resorted to the act because a court had not given higher compensation in an accident case.
If lawyers find fault with Judicial officers or if they face any other problem they should bring it to the notice of the Chief Justice or the High Court. They should not indulge in activities such as locking up courts, he said.
Courts are “temples of Justice,” and should not be closed. Lawyers don't have the right to lock up courts. “If a temple Pujari is not good, temple should not be closed but steps should be taken to change the Pujari,” he said.
Justice Eqbal said that the Constitution and judiciary are supreme in the country. “To save democracy and judiciary, lawyers should work and should not lock up courts or boycott courts. I warn the lawyers. If they indulge in activity like locking up the courts, people may perhaps turn against them and organise agitations against them.”
He said that the pendency of cases was less in Tamil Nadu compared to other states. For this he complimented the Judges of the High Court and judicial officers in sub-ordinate courts.
The government has a policy of opening courts in each and every taluk headquarters. Thus, Needamangalam, though a small taluk, has got a court. People's needs and convenience were taken into consideration while establishing this court. It would function from a rented building and, within a year, have its own building.
State Law Minister Esakki Subbaiah said that Tiruvarur was known for its history of rendering justice. Manuneedhi Cholan rendered justice to a cow that had lost its calf. Sibi Chakaravarthy, another Chola King, rendered justice to a dove. Periyapuranam talks about rendering justice by the Lord in the history of Sundaramurthy Nayanmar. So it was appropriate that a court was inaugurated at Needamangalam. “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is known for rendering justice to everyone,” he said.
Justice V. Ramasubramanian of the Madras High Court unveiled the portrait of Thiruvalluvar. Justice S. Nagamuthu of the court unveiled a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.
