Six new Madras HC judges will take strength to 40

CHENNAI: The President Pranab Mukherjee has cleared the appointment of six persons — four from the Bar and two from subordinate judiciary — as Judges of the Madras high court.

They are advocates V. Bharathidasan, D. Krishnakumar, S.S. Sundaram and M.V. Muralidharan and from the subordinate judiciary P. Kalaiarasan and Gokuldas.

According to sources in the Law ministry, the warrant of appointment is expected to be issued in a couple of days after medical and certain formalities were completed.

With their appointment the strength of judges in the High Court will go up from 34 to 40 as against the sanctioned strength of 75 judges. In January 2015, nine names were recommended by the Madras High Court collegium headed by the Chief Justice, which included six from the bar and three from among district judges.

The process of appointment to fill over 400 vacancies in various High Courts was held up in view of the notification of the National Judicial Appointments Commission law for selection and appointment of judges.

Madras hight court gets six new judges

V. Bharathidasan, D. Krishnakumar, S. S. Sundar, M. V. Muralidaran, P. Kalaiyarasan and B. Gokuldas will be sworn-in as judges of the high court soon after issuance of necessary warrant of appointment by the President of India.

Born on May 7, 1960 in an agricultural family in Thanjavur district, V. Bharathidasan graduated from Loyola College, Chennai and later joined law course in Government Law College, Madras.

He enrolled himself as an advocate on September 11, 1985. In 2005, he was appointed as senior panel counsel for central government and continued till 2015. He was Standing Counsel for Chennai Corporation from 2006 to 2015.

Hailing from Dharapuram in Tirupur district, D Krishnakumar was born on May 22, 1963. He did B.Sc (Zoology) in Presidency College. He completed B.L from Madras Law College, Chennai. He enrolled as an advocate on November 25, 1987 and joined the office of senior advocate K. Duraiswamy. He had served as government advocate and a special government pleader.

S.S. Sundar was born on May 3, 1963. Hailing from Kootampuli village near Tuticorin, he belongs to an agricultural family. He did B.Sc (Chemistry) in St.Xavier’s college, Palayamkottai and completed B.L from Madras Law College.

He enrolled as an advocate on April 15, 1988. He practiced as a junior to senior advocate T. R. Rajagopalan and became independent after shifting practice to Madurai Bench of Madras high court.   

Hailing from Vellore district, M. V. Muralidaran was born on April 16, 1962. He also belongs to an agricultural family. He completed B A (Tamil) at Arignar Anna Government Arts College at Tiruvannamalai and M.A (Tamil) at Presidency College.

He completed B.L from Government Dr Ambedkar Law College in Chennai and enrolled as an advocate on September 12, 1990. Thereafter, he joined as a junior in the office of V. Dhanapalan, a former judge of Madras high court. Later, he started independent practice.

Born on May 1, 1956, P Kalaiyarasan from Salem district, hails from an agricultural family. He completed his collegiate education in Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore and Government Arts college, Salem, He studied law in V.R.Law College, Nellore and completed M.L (Criminology) from Madras Law College.

He enrolled as an advocate and started practicing from 1980. He was appointed as second class magistrate on January 3, 1983. He had served  as Principal Judge, Chennai and is now high court Registrar-General.

Hailing from an agricultural family in Kancheepuram district, B.Gokuldas was born on June 7, 1955. He completed  B.A (Economics) from Madras Christian College. He did law degree at Madras Law college.

He enrolled as an advocate and practiced in Madras high court. He joined judicial service on August 2, 1984 as second class judicial magistrate at Ramanathapuram. He retired on June 31, 2015 as Chief Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai.