The article “When Annie Besant came to court” (Feb. 8) speaks volumes about the dignity and discipline among members of the legal fraternity of olden days. That Justice Panchapakesa Ayyar spotted Nani Palkhivala's potential years before he became a famous lawyer is an interesting piece of news.
Raghavendra A Choudhari,
Bangalore
The appearance of Annie Besant in person to argue for the custody of Narayaniah's sons, including J. Krishnamurthi, is a legendary episode in the history of the Madras High Court. C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer's conduct — maintaining a high degree of dignity and professional etiquette — towards Annie Besant and her gesture to him reflect the greatness of the two eminent personalities. The history of a court is indeed incomplete without the accounts of litigants who added lustre and grandeur to it.
V.K. Sathyavan Nair,
Kottayam
I would like to add to the list of incidents that added excitement to the Madras High Court. The appointment of T. Muthuswamy Iyer as the first Indian judge in 1877 by the British India government created a furore. In the face of a vicious attack by the British-owned media, Indian leaders realised that they needed a voice of their own. One of the outcomes of the controversy was the birth of The Hindu.
The unblemished track record of Justice Iyer impressed the government and gave it the confidence that Indians appointed as High Court judges would act fearlessly, with justice and equity.
He would come to court thoroughly prepared, having studied not only the facts of the case but also the relevant case law.
During the hearing, Justice Iyer would shoot questions and make lawyers analyse and come up with answers based on the facts of the case, and the relevant legal provisions. This was welcomed by many British barristers.
K. Suresh Babu,
Tiruchi
