The Madras High Court bench here has referred to the Principal Seat a PIL seeking a direction to the high court Judicature of Madras to prepare a new judges panel list up to its full strength and seek approval of the Law Secretary.
Referring the PIL filed by the Joint Secretary of the Madurai Bench Advocates Association, a Division Bench of justices M Jaichandran and R Mahadevan said such issues would have to be decided only by a Full Bench of five judges.
The petitioner submitted that 16 vacancies in the Madras High Court should be filled within the timeframe as 36000 writ petitions had been filed in the Principal Seat, and 22000 writ petitions in Madurai Bench last year.
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The total strength of the Madras High Court was 60, but there were 16 vacancies. The approved strength of high court judges was 75. The approved strength also had not been taken up for implementation. Now there were only 12 judges in Madurai bench. It should be actually 20, as one third of the cases were being heard here, the petitioner said.
A few months ago Registrar General of Madras High Court had prepared a list and it was sent to the Supreme Court Registrar General and Law secretary for approval.Subsequently the proposal was withdrawn by the Law Secretary for preparing a fresh list. Meanwhile four high court judges retired.
The Madurai Bench High Court Advocates Association passed a resolution to increase the strength of the high court judges up to to approved limit of 60. But there was no remedy except knocking at the doors ot the court. Hence the PIL, the petitioner said.
