COIMBATORE: When PK Sivakumar, the Fifth Additional District Judge of the Coimbatore District Court, enters the court complex, it will not be the security personnel or state-allotted vehicles that announce his arrival, but rather the bicycle bell sounds. The justice has chosen a simple demeanour to represent his "appearance" to court by pedalling to work every day -- right from his house in Sivaram Nagar near Sungam, through the bus stretches of the Tiruchy Road, to the court complex.
The judge, who declined to comment when approached for an interview, recently made the headlines for directing Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar to deposit over Rs 62,000 towards expenses incurred for the appearance of witnesses and accused persons in eight cases, including a murder case, after additional public prosecutors failed to appear before the court on Monday.
Sources in his office said the judge rarely utilises his official vehicle, and instead, prefers taking the bus or train for visiting other districts for official visits. "The judge asks us to wear our footwear even inside his room, as opposed to the usual practice. He extends the same courtesy to the accused persons appearing for trial proceedings and never fails to offer them a seat," sources said.
D Murugavel, bench clerk of the judge, said, "Although he has his own lounge, the judge always joins us for lunch in the common hall. He shares his lunch with us, often surprising advocates visiting the court. While he is honest to his duty as a judge while on the bench, once he steps down for lunch or to his office, he behaves like a friend."
Advocate P Anbuchelvan, who has been practising in Coimbatore courts for over a decade, told TNIE that the judge also rides his bicycle to a nearby coffee shop and prefers buying fruits from roadside vendors. "He has never shown any attitude despite holding the high office of a judge," he said.
Sivakumar has been serving as the Fifth Additional District Judge in Coimbatore for the past six months. Earlier, he had served as a Sub Judge and then as the Chief Judicial Magistrate in the Coimbatore district judiciary.