Various advocates' forums today voiced their opposition to the choice of candidates for appointment as additional judges of the Madras High Court, took the matter to the President, the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court and Tamil Nadu Governor.
Tamil Nadu Advocates Association president S Prabakaran submitted a representation to the collegium of judges of the Supreme Court requesting them to return the list of shortlisted names recommended for elevation to the bench.
The TNAA has also submitted a memorandum to the governor, K Rosaiah.
TNAA said that they wanted the apex court's collegium to return the list of names recommended by the collegium of the Madras High Court for appointment as Additional Judges of the court, with a direction that it be re-done "by including meritorious and competent lawyers from unrepresented communities in strict compliance of the constitutional mandate of social justice as enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution in letter and spirit."
Lawyers For Democracy And Social Causes has also submitted a memorandum to the President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court and the Union Law Minister seeking rejection of the list containing 12 names. It was signed by 102 practising advocates.
Meanwhile, the All India Democratic Women's Association has said levelling sexist remarks against women in race for top jobs too would amount to harassment of women at work place, and asked lawyers bodies, trade unions and women's fora to voice their protest against attempts to denigrate women candidates' character to deny them top positions.
The Tamil Nadu unit of All India Lawyers Union had recently demanded immediate recall of the 12 names recommended by the collegium of the Madras High Court for appointment as Additional Judges of the Court, and sought transparent selection process for such constitutional positions.
