The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has renewed the demand for setting up of a Supreme Court Bench in Chennai to benefit litigants of Southern States.
A resolution to this effect was passed at its 23rd Tamil Nadu State conference being held in Madurai.
Briefing mediapersons on Thursday, one of the party senior leaders P. Shanmugam said the Constitution has guaranteed the right to get justice for all and the need for setting up Supreme Court Benches at regional levels has been recommended by Law Commissions and Parliamentary Standing Committees.
Bar councils, lawyers associations and democratic forces have been demanding it. "Only decentralisation of power can ensure that it reached the last person," the resolution said.
Stating that litigants from southern States cannot afford huge travel expenses to go to Delhi to fight their cases in the Supreme Court, the party said that setting up of the Supreme Court Bench will provide an opportunity for the common man to get relief from the Apex Court.
White paper
The party also demanded a white paper on the memoranda of understanding signed by the previous AIADMK government on bringing foreign investment in industrial development and the number of employment opportunities created.
Small scale industry
The State government should help the small scale industrial sector that has become sick due to pandemic-induced lockdown with assistance to sustain employment generation.
Besides, it wanted to provide reservation in private employment to ensure social justice.
The State government should concentrate on giving impetus to agro food industry and give more focus on bringing new industries in southern districts.
To stop looting of natural resources like sand, granite and beach mineral by private entities, the State government must increase its investment in setting up industries.
“Stop eviction of poor”
Mr. Shanmugam said that of late, the courts were keen on evicting poor people living for decades in waterbody poromboke. "Our party has no different opinion on the need to protecting waterbodies. But, there was no point in evicting lakhs of poor who were living in land along defunct waterbodies, when several government offices, housing board colonies and court buildings were located on waterbodies," he said.
The State government should appeal against the court direction on this issue. If at all the government wanted to evict people from such poromboke land, it has to first ensure proper alternative dwelling units before evicting them, he said.
Discussion on several other issues was under way at the conference that would conclude on Friday.
