HC raps govt for not providing facilities to lower Courts

Chennai, Feb 11 (PTI) The Madras High Court rapped thestate Government not providing required facilities to lowercourts in Chennai, telling it bluntly that it was not doingcharity work by constructing court buildings and providingfacilities.

The Court directed the government to provide all facilitiesin two weeks, as it took up the issue as suo motu writpetition at the instance of the High Court Registrar General,following the Chief Justice''s surprise inspection of theMetropolitan Magistrate here, where he noticed deficiencies.

"You are not doing any charity work. It is your duty.Sayyou can do it," a full Bench, comprising Chief Justice M YEqbal, Justices P Jyothimani and T S Sivagnanam said.

The CJ asked Additional Advocate General P Wilson why thestate government has not done anything to provide facilitiesin George Town, located in the city, which he inspected.

When Wilson said he would get instructions from thegovernment and do the needful, the CJ asked him to comply withthe requirements immediately.

When Wilson submitted there was some allocation of fundtowards the facilities, Justice Eqbal wondered whether"Government is not in a position to at least provide 25 chairswhen it is giving lakhs and lakhs of TV sets�.

Wilson the government had allocated Rs 300 crore in thelast budget for courts.

The Bench called Chief Engineer S Karunakaran, PWD beforethem, who submitted whatever needed would be looked into anddone.

After hearing, The Bench directed the Additional AdvocateGeneral, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and Chief Engineer,PWD to visit the George Town Court tomorrow.

The Chief Engineer should file an affidavit giving anundertaking on behalf of the Government to provide allfacilities within two weeks from today.

The Bench listed the case again on February 14 for furtherhearing.