HC Division Benches dispose of significant number of cases in three months
The Hindu
Advocates stress the need to have another Division Bench to hear matters pertaining to motor accident claims and appeals, matrimonial case appeals and civil appeals
A Division Bench, headed by Justice R. Mahadevan, administrative judge of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, has disposed of 6,512 cases, passing several significant orders on a number of them, in just three months since September 5.
The Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad disposed of 2,775 main cases and 3,737 miscellaneous cases, according to a statement showing the disposals of the Bench. The Bench heard cases pertaining to public interest litigation petitions and writ appeals.
Notable orders passed by the Bench include directions to the government to ensure easy accessibility for the differently abled to all tourist places, ban on use of mobile phones inside temples, publication of Thirukkural in Braille, retrieval of temple lands, removal of illegal constructions around temples, proper functioning of mobile counselling centres in schools, action against private waterfalls and those violating the Motor Vehicles Rules and maintenance of public parks.
A Division Bench of Justices J. Banu and N. Anand Venkatesh (September 5 to November 4) and a Division Bench of Justices M.S. Ramesh and N. Anand Venkatesh (November 7 to December 2) which heard matters pertaining to habeas corpus petitions, criminal appeals and writ appeals disposed of 2,100 cases (1,261 main cases and 839 miscellaneous cases), according to a statement.
Significant orders passed by the Bench include a direction to the government to create separate investigation wing in police, an order to government to avoid illegal detentions and initiation of contempt proceedings against hostile witness Swathi in Gokulraj murder case.
Advocate K. Samidurai, who represents the High Court Registry, said the First Division Bench maintained a balance between old and new cases in disposals. Many young advocates got an opportunity to learn as they were appointed as advocate commissioners in several cases.
The Second Bench had a tough task of hearing matters pertaining to criminal appeals, habeas corpus petitions and old writ appeals. Both the Benches ensured that they completed all the listed cases, he said.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.