Retiring judge for quota in appointment of Madras High Court judges

Chennai: Batting for reservation in the appointment of high court judges, a judge of Madras high court, Justice D. Hariparanthaman on Wednesday, recommended that representatives from SC, ST, BC, MBC, minorities and women should be included in the collegium, which selects candidates for appointments.

In his farewell address , he said they should be involved in the selection of judges of high court, besides the collegium, comprising Chief Justice and two senior most judges. Only this would lead to accomplishment of social justice in toto. He said for the first time, about 40 to 50 per cent of judges post, which remained vacant, would be filled in Madras high court and other high courts across the country.

Even after Britishers left the country, the ‘feudal’ mindset remains in higher judiciary and judges are still addressed as ‘Lords’, he said. Justice Hariparanthaman was denied entry into a club for coming in a ‘Dhoti’ two years ago.

Referring to BCI chairman’s stand that action against lawyers who were allegedly involved in Patiala court violence in Delhi recently, would be taken only after outcome of inquiry and probe by authorities, Justice Hariparanthaman said such practice must be adopted in the case of 40 suspended lawyers from Tamil Nadu.