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Resisting Brahmin judges, over 15,000 advocates boycott Madras High Court proceedings
Demanding transparency in the appointment of new judges and recalling a list of 12 names sent to the Supreme Court, over 15,000 advocates of Madras High Court on Wednesday boycotted the court proceedings.
The advocates on Tuesday had laid siege to the chambers of the Chief Justice R.K. Agarwal and shouted slogans demanding him to be transparent in the selection process.
"If only names of those short-listed are shared with the Bar, the judiciary can avoid complications and issues like this. But alas, the whole process is not transparent and that is why we have decided to agitate and boycott the court proceedings on Wednesday," R.C. Paul Kanagaraj, president, Madras High Court Advocate Association (MHAA), had said.
Another major grievance of the advocates is the inclusion of three advocates, all Brahmins, into the selection list for appointment as High Court judges.
In fact, when a group of lawyers laid siege to chief justice's chamber, they openly shouted slogans against the inclusion of three Brahmin names in the list.
"Already there are seven Brahmin judges in the Madras High Court. If three more are added, their strength will become 10 and this will constitute 15 per cent of the total strength which is 60. There are several castes and communities which are not at all represented in the list," said J. Stalin Rajendran, an agitating advocate.
In fact, senior lawyer R. Gandhi, in a PIL filed in the High Court, contended in his petition that the inclusion of three Brahmins in the list was not only contrary to the prevailing practice of appointments on the basis of merits but also against social justice.
When the PIL came up for hearing before a division bench, Gandhi's counsel urged the matter to be referred to another bench as one of the judges was a Brahmin and another judge's senior's son's name was also in the present list.
Acceding to the demand, the bench transferred the PIL to a different bench.
Meanwhile, a large number of advocates want the present collegium system of appointments scrapped and seek a more transparent and viable system for the selection of judges.
"Entrance tests are conducted for office assistant's jobs. But for judges' appointments, just three persons make the selection. This collegium system should be done away with. Appointments should be transparent and on the basis of merit.
Moreover, it should be done as recommended by Justice K. Venkatachaliah's recommendations on the basis of giving representation to all sections of society," advocate V. Balu told India Today Online on the phone.
Read more at: Resisting Brahmin judges, over 15,000 advocates boycott Madras High Court proceedings : South, News - India Today
Resisting Brahmin judges, over 15,000 advocates boycott Madras High Court proceedings : South, News - India Today
Demanding transparency in the appointment of new judges and recalling a list of 12 names sent to the Supreme Court, over 15,000 advocates of Madras High Court on Wednesday boycotted the court proceedings.
The advocates on Tuesday had laid siege to the chambers of the Chief Justice R.K. Agarwal and shouted slogans demanding him to be transparent in the selection process.
"If only names of those short-listed are shared with the Bar, the judiciary can avoid complications and issues like this. But alas, the whole process is not transparent and that is why we have decided to agitate and boycott the court proceedings on Wednesday," R.C. Paul Kanagaraj, president, Madras High Court Advocate Association (MHAA), had said.
Another major grievance of the advocates is the inclusion of three advocates, all Brahmins, into the selection list for appointment as High Court judges.
In fact, when a group of lawyers laid siege to chief justice's chamber, they openly shouted slogans against the inclusion of three Brahmin names in the list.
"Already there are seven Brahmin judges in the Madras High Court. If three more are added, their strength will become 10 and this will constitute 15 per cent of the total strength which is 60. There are several castes and communities which are not at all represented in the list," said J. Stalin Rajendran, an agitating advocate.
In fact, senior lawyer R. Gandhi, in a PIL filed in the High Court, contended in his petition that the inclusion of three Brahmins in the list was not only contrary to the prevailing practice of appointments on the basis of merits but also against social justice.
When the PIL came up for hearing before a division bench, Gandhi's counsel urged the matter to be referred to another bench as one of the judges was a Brahmin and another judge's senior's son's name was also in the present list.
Acceding to the demand, the bench transferred the PIL to a different bench.
Meanwhile, a large number of advocates want the present collegium system of appointments scrapped and seek a more transparent and viable system for the selection of judges.
"Entrance tests are conducted for office assistant's jobs. But for judges' appointments, just three persons make the selection. This collegium system should be done away with. Appointments should be transparent and on the basis of merit.
Moreover, it should be done as recommended by Justice K. Venkatachaliah's recommendations on the basis of giving representation to all sections of society," advocate V. Balu told India Today Online on the phone.
Read more at: Resisting Brahmin judges, over 15,000 advocates boycott Madras High Court proceedings : South, News - India Today
Resisting Brahmin judges, over 15,000 advocates boycott Madras High Court proceedings : South, News - India Today
