CM Vijay urges PM Modi to take action for Supreme Court regional Bench in Chennai

    Chennai, Nov 4 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take necessary action to set up a Bench of the Supreme Court in Chennai.

    Reiterating Tamil Nadu's long-standing demand (since 1980), Vijay said the remedy under Article 32 (the right to move the Supreme Court) of the Constitution is practically available only to those who are geographically close to the apex court and who are financially privileged to meet the cost of litigation and travel.

    The litigant public of southern states needs to go to Delhi to get their grievances redressed, and Chennai, being an important place in the south, setting up an apex court Bench in Chennai would benefit all the Southern States.

    Recalling that the Supreme Court, in its meeting on 07.08.2007, had decided against regional benches, CM Vijay said citizens in South India could not avail the Constitutional remedy (under Article 32) due to the sheer distance between the southern states and Delhi.

    Under the circumstances, Vijay said that he was confident that PM Modi would take up the issue afresh with the apex court so that it reconsiders its stand and decides to set up its Bench in Chennai, appreciating the long-pending demand of Tamil Nadu, and considering Chennai's importance among the southern states.

    The framers of the Constitution contemplated that all citizens, rich or poor, must have direct access to the apex court. It was the main reason for the enactment of Article 32, a privilege not available in many other countries, Vijay noted.

    He emphasised aspects like the recommendations of the Standing Committees of Parliament (in 2004, 2006, 2008 and in 2021) and the Law Commission's reports reiterating the need for permanent regional benches.

    He outlined the Constitutional provision that paves the way for the Supreme Court to function from Delhi or other places and that it is the subject matter of a conference of the Chief Justice held in 1979.

    The High Court of Madras is one of the oldest chartered High Courts established in 1862.

    He said: "I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the establishment of the Supreme Court Bench is one among the questions of law raised for consideration and reference to the Constitutional Bench for an authoritative pronouncement in the orders of the Supreme Court."

    In 2024, the Centre had informed the Lok Sabha that the apex court had said that there was no need for regional benches.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)