Latest news with #S.M.Subramaniam
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Plea to rescue fishermen stranded in Iran dismissed
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday dismissed the petition that sought a direction to the Centre and the State governments to take appropriate measures to rescue Tamil Nadu fishermen who were stranded in Iran following the Iran-Israel war. The court was hearing the petition filed by G. Thirumurugan of Ramanathapuram district. He sought a direction to the authorities to rescue the fishermen who belonged to coastal villages in Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts. The petitioner said the fishermen from the coastal villages were caught in the crossfire between Iran and Israel. These fishermen belonged to humble backgrounds and depended on fishing activities. Their family members have not been able to contact them for the past one month, he said and sought a direction to the Centre and the State to rescue the fishermen and ensure their safe evacuation. The Centre told the court that there was ceasefire between Iran and Israel and the airspace was now open. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete observed that these are the affairs to be dealt with by the Ministry of External Affairs and the fishermen were at liberty to approach the Indian Embassy. The court dismissed the petition.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
Plea to ensure proper functioning of SC/ST hostels in Madurai
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the State to file a report to a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the authorities concerned to ensure proper functioning of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes hostels run by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department in Madurai district. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete sought response from the authorities on the petition filed by C. Selvakumar of Madurai. The petitioner said there were no conservancy workers and night watchmen/guards in these hostels. No conservancy worker had been appointed to these hostels, while night watchmen/guards who were supposed to be on duty were not discharging their duty properly. Despite the biometric attendance system, the watchmen/guards register their arrival and leave the hostels, he alleged. He said he had made a representation to the authorities to ensure good food, health, safety along with education to the students. He requested the authorities to appoint conservancy workers in SC/ST hostels in the district, fill the vacant night watchman/guard posts and take necessary departmental action against the non-performing hostel wardens. However, no action was taken, he said. He sought a direction to the authorities to ensure the proper functioning of all the SC/ST hostels in Madurai district by appointing conservancy workers and night watchmen/guards to the hostels. The court posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Ensure panel formed to curb unauthorised constructions meets once a month: HC
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that the High-Level Monitoring Committee constituted to curb unauthorised constructions meets once a month and submits monthly reports to the government. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete observed that the committee's functions must be periodically monitored by the government and any inaction must result in an appropriate action against the authority who failed to implement the G.O. and committed dereliction of duty. The efficient functioning of the committee was not made clear by the authorities, the court observed. It further observed that a holistic reading of the Act and the Rules covering urban and panchayat areas with regard to unauthorised constructions would be sufficient to form an opinion that building constructions must be undertaken only after obtaining building plan permission from the competent authorities as stipulated in the applicable provisions of the Act and the Rules. Regularisation, condonation or otherwise were only enabling provisions and must be granted exceptionally in deserving cases where an injustice had been caused. However, regularisation could not be claimed as an absolute right. The unauthorised and illegal constructions could not be regularised in a routine manner by the authorities, the court said. Unauthorised constructions posed a danger to the public and caused environmental damages. Greedy men were emboldened to construct buildings unauthorisedly in urban areas and rural areas, thereby causing inconvenience to neighbours and road-users. They converted fertile lands into a concrete jungle and deprived others of a peaceful living. Authorities failing in their duty to deal with unauthorised constructions must be subjected to departmental disciplinary proceedings, the court observed. The authorities were not expected to wait for complaints from anyone. They were duty bound to monitor construction activities. Field-level officials must ensure that buildings were constructed in accordance with the building plan permission and violations were to be dealt with in accordance with law swiftly. Violations must be identified at the initial stage of construction, which would prevent financial and other loss to all concerned. The court was hearing the petition filed by M. Daniel Simiyon Sudan, seeking a direction to the authorities to remove unauthorised construction/rice mill in Srirangam in Tiruchi district. The court directed the authorities to initiate enforcement action and demolish the constructions, if any identified, in eight weeks. The matter was posted for reporting compliance to August 7.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
HC dismisses plea to appoint panel of Agama experts to finalise temple renovation works
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition that sought a direction to appoint a committee of Agama experts to finalise renovation and repair works at Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete observed that the State government had already appointed an expert committee and a G.O. had been issued in this regard. If the petitioner was of the opinion that any customs or practices were being violated, he was at liberty to approach the competent authorities under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, the court observed and dismissed the petition filed by B. Ramkumar Adityan of Tiruchendur.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Frequent court boycotts by lawyers for flimsy reasons to be deprecated: Madras HC
Lawyers are professionals and are bound to protect the interest of litigants and the majesty of courts. Boycotting courts frequently for flimsy reasons or based on certain individual grievances of any lawyer at no circumstances can be appreciated, but it is to be deprecated, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has observed. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete observed that the Supreme Court had repeatedly reiterated that lawyers could not indulge in boycotting the courts for flimsy reasons and in such an event, strong actions were directed to be initiated by the competent authorities. That apart, boycotts might not be a proper solution. Only in the event of any common cause, the lawyers had to approach the Bar Council or the competent authorities to redress their grievances. Contrarily, they were not expected to resort to boycotts unnecessarily, thereby obstructing the court proceedings, the court observed. Lawyers were officers of the court. They were the stakeholders in the justice delivery system. Their absence would affect court proceedings. The courts would not be in a position to hear and dispose of cases in the absence of the lawyers. Their assistance to the court was of paramount importance in the justice delivery system, the Bench observed. The court was hearing a petition filed by R. Jim who complained that for flimsy reasons boycotts were announced by the Tirunelveli Bar Association which caused inconvenience to the public and some lawyers who were willing to appear before the courts. The petitioner sought a direction to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the association office-bearers. The court observed that in the absence of a specific complaint regarding misconduct or illegality committed by the office-bearers, the Bar Council might not be in a position to initiate appropriate action. In the event of receiving a specific complaint from the petitioner against the office-bearers of the Bar Association or any practising lawyers, the Bar Council should initiate appropriate actions, as contemplated under the Advocates Act, 1961, and the Rules, including the Bar Council of India Rules, the court directed.
