CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday said the court halls can’t be allowed to be turned into a political platform. The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan made the comments when an advocate sought to implead in the petitions challenging the three laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam — when the court was hearing the petitions filed by DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi and the Federation of Bar Associations of Tamil Nadu. However, the bench said it may consider if a separate petition is filed in this regard.
The petitioners submitted that appropriate consultations and public hearing were not conducted before drafting the laws and they were passed in Parliament in haste even when adequate number of MPs was not present.
The bench questioned how petitions can be filed against these laws on the grounds of not conducting proper consultations, non-consideration of suggestions and lack of adequate members in the House. These issues cannot be grounds for challenging the competency of the House to enact legislations, the bench said, and asked the counsel to produce previous orders relating to such issues.
The bench adjourned the hearing to the third week of November.
