Chennai: Barring Mahatma Gandhi and Tamil poet-saint Tiruvalluvar, no other statues or portraits would be allowed inside the court premises in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Madras High Court said.
The registrar general of the high court issued a circular to all district courts on July 7 in this regard. "Very recently, on April 11 the full court considered a similar request and reiterating all the earlier resolutions, unanimously resolved that except statues and portraits of Mahatma Gandhiji and Saint Thiruvalluvar, no other portraits shall be displayed anywhere inside the court premises," the circular stated.
To protest against the court's directive, a section of lawyers are contemplating to stage a demonstration at the premises of the high court and all district courts on July 24. The lawyers are demanding for an immediate withdrawal of the circular issued on July 7.
The registrar general has directed to "take action by giving suitable complaint to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The above instructions shall be followed strictly by all concerned."
From time to time associations of advocates sought permission for displaying portraits of Ambedkar and some senior advocates in the district court premises. The issue was considered by the full bench of the high court on multiple occasions in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019 and 2023.
Giving an account of all the previous resolutions on this issue, the circular pointed out that in October 2008, the full bench rejected the request of the advocates association to display portraits of national leaders in court complexes. In March 2010, the court reiterated its earlier order stating that no more installations would be allowed in future. The decision was taken in view of the law and order problems that arose following damage caused to the statues of national leaders. Again in April 2011, the court denied permission to erect status in court complexes.
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In April 2013, the full bench went on to direct the Kancheepuram principal district judge to compel the Lawyers' Association of Alandur Court to pull down the statues of BR Ambedkar from the newly-built combined court buildings in Chennai's Alandur. In the subsequent resolutions that were taken, the full bench of the high court reiterated the earlier orders and declined permission to erect any statues in the court premises.
Finally, at the recent meeting in April 2023, the full bench resolved that no portraits or statues will be allowed in court premises except Mahatma Gandhi and Saint Thiruvalluvar.
