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HC rejects advocates' pleas
The Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected pleas by advocates to immediately hear the matter pertaining to the February 19 alleged excesses by police on the high court premises and asked the lawyers to return to work.
The Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected pleas by advocates to immediately hear the matter pertaining to the February 19 alleged excesses by police on the high court premises and asked the lawyers to return to work.
When senior lawyers T V Ramanujum and R Krishnamurthy pressed for the matter to be taken up, a Bench comprising Chief Justice H L Gokhale and Justice F M Ibrahim Kallifulla pointed out that a three-judge Bench headed by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya was hearing it.
"When a Bench is seized of the matter it is not proper for it to be withdrawn from that Bench," Justice Gokhale said when it was pointed out that Justice Mukhopadhaya was indisposed temporarily.
Stating that Justice Mukhopadhaya could come to the court even tomorrow or later, the Chief Justice said it was not the first time that a judge was unwell. "Is it for the first time that a matter is not being
taken up because a judge is not well?" he asked.
When it was repeated that it was a matter that could not be delayed, Justice Gokhale said people had "to wait for justice for events that took place during emergency".
Police and advocates fought on the HC premises on February 19 after the arrest of some 13 lawyers in connection with the attack on Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy in the court on Febuary 17 sparking off a protest by the advocates.
