“If there are no clients there will neither be any advocates or courts nor a Law Minister,” said Law and Prisons Minister Durai Murugan in a lighter moment after presiding over the inauguration of the Namakkal Combined Court Buildings at the Master Plan Complex near the District Collectorate here on Sunday.
The Minister made this statement in connection with the frequent court boycotts called for by advocate bodies.
Pointing out that advocates alone had the privilege of working without a retirement age he also said that advocates who were once treated with dignity are degrading their profession by their own deeds.
Earlier felicitating senior advocates of the Namakkal courts who have completed more than 50 years of practice, Durai Murugan advised the young advocates to have reverence for their seniors.
Madras High Court Judge K. Venkataraman who inaugurated the court complex that has been built at an estimate Rs.11 crore said that massive court buildings would be of no use if advocates boycotted court proceedings. Don't forget that clients are our breadwinners, he added.
He also petitioned the Law Minister seeking basic amenities for advocates such as advocate's chamber, library, vehicle parking facilities and quarters for judicial staff. He also donated law books to few advocate bodies following which Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare S. Gandhiselvan came forward to donate Rs.5 lakh to buy law books.
Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department N. Jaganathan said that the three storied court building has a total built-in area of 8,606 square meters with necessary basic amenities.
Principal District Judge N. Velu said that close to one percent of the district's population of 15 lakh had litigations and added that the combined buildings would greatly benefit them.
Collector S. Madumathi, Superintendent of Police A. Pari and representatives of various bar associations were present.
