Lords are not Gods, Advocates attempt to siege Madras HC
- The advocates associations across state gathered to protest against recent amendments to the rules under the Advocate Act.
- The Bar Council of India suspended as many as 126 advocates in the state.
CHENNAI: Madras High Court campus resembled a fortress on Monday following the proposed siege of the court campus by the advocate associations across the state condemning the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and the Bar council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry.
Advocates from the district bar associations across the state gathered to protest against the recent amendments to the rules under the Advocates Act that gives sweeping powers for courts to debar advocates on various grounds.
Just a day ahead of the protest, on Sunday, the Bar Council of India, in an unprecedented move suspended as many as 126 advocates in the state, mainly those spreading heading the protests against the recent amendments.
The protesting advocates held placards and banners condemning the feudal attitude of the Judges. "Judges are not Gods; Advocates are not Slaves," was the campaign slogan of the advocates who were vocal about the members of the Bar Council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry.
"We are ready to face anyone. Suspend all the 60,000 advocates. Then you will face consequences," Tirunelveli District Advocate association President Muthuramalingam said while addressing his brethren.
Condemning the Bar Council of TN for siding with the judges, Arvialagan, Secretary of the Madras Highcourt Advocates Association (MHAA) said, "They (bar council) didn't bother to hold talks with the advocates, but with the judges."
The Founder Secretary of the Subordinate courts bar association, P Thirumalairajan appealed to the advocates to maintain dignity while protesting and not create hindrance to the police in maintaining law and order.
"We promised TN police that the protest would be done peacefully," he said. However, the police were not taking chances with the security, though it was done at the expense of public inconvenience. Shops remained closed on the North Fort road and traffic was blocked towards Parrys. Vehicles coming from Parrys towards the Madras Medical College had to move at snail's pace owing to the security.
"We have requested the public to co-operate with us. We didn't have much choice," a traffic policeman on duty near the Madras Medical College told Express.
The Chennai City Police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel turned the already high security zone that the Madras HC is, into an inaccessible area. Riot control police were also in place. Security at all entry points to the High Court were fortified. "We wouldn't budge. The siege would go on as planned," Arivalagan said.