TIRUPATTUR : Urging the collector to reconsider the proposed location for the district court in Vaniyambadi, over 20 members of the Tirupattur Bar Association staged a protest at the Tirupattur collectorate on Thursday. They advocated for the court to be built near the existing combined court in Tirupattur.
Addressing media, Bar Association President Gyanamohan said, “The proposed allocation of 2.99 hectares of land in Chinnaveppampattu Village of Vaniyambadi Taluk for the District Combined Court building and judges quarters is deemed inappropriate and contrary to the interests of the public and advocates of Tirupattur.”
For years, advocates have requested that the district court be constructed near the existing combined court building. Following the request, Tamilselvi, Madras High Court judge, inspected the existing Tirupattur combined court complex and directed the relevant officials to initiate the process of constructing a district court and CJM. However, the principal district judge has allegedly chosen the location in Vaniyambadi taluk without any consultation with bar association members or advocates, he added.
Protesters highlighted the inconvenience this decision would cause to litigants, who have accessed the court in Tirupattur Town for over 150 years. They argued that requiring litigants to travel around 20 km from Tirupattur to a Vaniyambadi Taluk would increase costs and time spent, contradicting principles of justice. They emphasized that the proposed location in Vaniyambadi Taluk was unsuitable, posing risks to vulnerable litigants. They advocated for utilizing available space near the existing combined court building in Tirupattur for the new construction.
In response, District Collector K Tharpagaraj cited his dual role as both district collector and district election officer, explaining that he cannot directly accept the petition. Instead, he directed the protesters to address their concerns to the principal district judge.