Don’t test patience, Madras HC on comments on judge

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday remarked that it will not tolerate comments degrading the judiciary. Those who comment should remember not to test the patience of the court, a division bench orally observed when advocate MR Venkatesh representing the writ petitioners in the Thirupparankundram lamp lighting (Karthigai Deepam) row, said personal remarks were being made against the single judge who allowed the lighting of the lamp on the ancient stone pillar atop the Thirupparankundram hill near a Dargah.

“Persons violating the law think that there won’t be any reaction. Please instruct your clients not to test the patience of the court and degrade the judiciary,” the court said. It warned that action would be taken if they continued to demoralise the judicial institution. “Whether you are in power or not, you have a tongue or no tongue. Whatever it is, if you are going to demoralise the institution, the constitution will remain only on paper,” the Bench comprising justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan remarked. Merely because judges cannot openly react, persons should not keep on provoking the court. Strict action would be taken if they exceeded the limits, the Bench warned while hearing the appeal against the single judge, Justice GR Swaminathan’s order directing the management of the Arulmighu Subrahmanya Swamy temple to facilitate the lighting of Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon (stone pillar) on December 3 evening. However, since the order was not complied with, the petitioners sought Justice Swaminathan to initiate contempt proceedings against the temple authorities.

On the other hand, the executive officer of the temple, Madurai District Collector, and the police commissioner moved the division bench to quash the single judge order. The Bench said it would hear the Karthigai Deepam case verdict on December 12 after all the parties already involved in the case filed their appeals.

“We will hear everyone together. All those parties already involved in the case will be allowed to file pleas. No one will be allowed to implead,” the Bench said. Meanwhile, Justice Swaminathan adjourned to December 9 the contempt petition filed by petitioner Rama Ravikumar over non-compliance of the December 1 verdict.