HC orders regular functioning of public libraries

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the government to resume regular functioning of public libraries.

A Division Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and S. Ananthi passed the direction in a public interest litigation petition filed by M. Soundarya of Madurai. The petitioner said people in villages relied on newspapers in the libraries for information. Students preparing for competitive examinations were also dependent on libraries. If the public libraries did not function in a full-fledged manner, it would affect them, she said.