CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has upheld the amendments made to the relevant Acts, which enabled the pecuniary jurisdiction of the lower courts from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh
``After giving our anxious consideration in the matter and after going through the entire legislation, we do not find the amendment Act either to be ulra vires of the Constitution or against the legislative competence of the State Legislature,’’ the First Bench comprising Chief Justice MY Eqbal and Justice TS Sivagnanam observed on August 4.
The Bench was dismissing a public interest writ petition from TT Ravichandran seeking to declare the amending Act 19 of 2010 as published in the TN government gazette on May 27 this year, insofar as it raised the pecuniary jurisdictions of the lower courts.
Dismissing the petitions, the bench observed that the amendments were pre-constitutional legislations empowering the State government to invest the City Courts with jurisdiction to receive, try and dispose of all suits and other proceedings of a civil nature and the pecuniary jurisdiction might be enhanced as and when required.