In a first, High Court hears case through Whatsapp; here's why

It was a triangular session, with the judge hearing the case from Nagercoil, petitioner's counsel V Raghavachari at one place and Advocate-General R Shanmugasundaram, at another place, in the city, the PTI news agency reported.

Chennai: For the first time in the annals of the Madras High Court, a judge has conducted a case through 'WhatsApp', and on a Sunday. Justice G R Swaminathan took up the case while being stationed in Nagercoil, where he had gone to attend a marriage function on Sunday, following submission of P R Srinivasan, the hereditary trustee of Shri Abheeshta Varadaraja Swamy temple, that his village will face the 'divine wrath' if the proposed 'Rath' (Car) festival was not held on Monday.

"This fervent prayer of the writ petitioner made me hold an emergency sitting from Nagercoil and conduct the case through Whatsapp," the judge said in the opening sentence of his order.

It was a triangular session, with the judge hearing the case from Nagercoil, petitioner's counsel V Raghavachari at one place and Advocate-General R Shanmugasundaram, at another place, in the city. The issue pertained to a temple in the Dharmapuri district.

Holding that the Inspector attached to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Department does not have the jurisdiction to issue an order directing the temple Thakkar (Fit person) and the hereditary trustee to stop the car festival, the judge quashed the same.

Earlier, the AG told the judge that the government does not oppose the holding of the event. Their sole concern is the safety of the members of the general public. On account of failure to adhere to safety standards, a tragedy struck in a similar procession in Thanjavur district recently, he pointed out and emphasised that such accidents should not recur.