HC sets up committee to assess infrastructure of courts in TN

Chennai,Feb 14 (PTI) The Madras High Court today constituteda three-member committee to assess the actual infrastructuralrequirements of all courts in Tamil Nadu, three days after itrapped the state government for not providing the requiredfacilities and directed that facilities be given in two weeks.

On February 11, the Court had come down on the stateGovernment not providing required facilities to lower courtsin Chennai, telling it bluntly that it was not doing charitywork by constructing court buildings and providing facilities.

It had also directed government to provide all facilities intwo weeks as it took up the issue as suo motu writ petition atthe instance of High Court Registrar General, following ChiefJustice M Y Eqbal''s surprise inspection of MetropolitanMagistrate court at Georgetown here, where he noticed severaldeficiencies.

A three judge Bench, comprising the CJ and Justices PJyothimani and T S Sivagnanam then took up the matter as suomotu and directed the Additional Advocate General, the ChiefMetropolitan Magistrate and Chief Engineer,PWD to visit theGeorge Town Court to assess the requirements.

When the matter came up today before the Bench, the ChiefEngineer filed an affidavit with the inspection report, withdetails of requirements, stating that furniture, drinkingwater, toilet facilities, prisoners� room with toilets may beprovided within two weeks.

Passing the order today on the petition,the bench directedthe government to provide all infrastructural facilities inGeorgetown court in two weeks and also constituted acommittee, comprising the Registrar-General, Home Secretaryand the Chief Engineer (Buildings), PWD.

The Court asked the committee to discuss the needs in eachdistrict and submit a detailed report to the court.

The court recorded its appreciation for the governmentagreeing to provide required facilities to GeorgeTown courtfor the present,saying there is no dispute that the governmentis doing a lot for people''s welfare, but made it clear thatwhatever observations are made by it are not intended to findfault with any government schemes.

"Rather our anxiety is that the government should also givespecial attention for providing infrastructural facilities tothe judiciary," the Bench said.

Posting the matter for further hearing after two weeks,thecourt said it would then take up the issue of infrastructuralfacilities required for other courts.