Bar association seeks establishment of district-level courts at Mayiladuthurai

The Mayiladuthurai Bar Association has urged authorities to expedite the establishment of district-level courts in the recently formed Mayiladuthurai district.

The Mayiladuthurai district court, which functioned as a Sub Court prior to the district’s formation, was subsequently upgraded to an Additional District Court and later to a full-fledged District and Sessions Court.

“At present, the district has only one District and Sessions Judge and a single Public Prosecutor handling cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual OffencescAct, the Special Court for SC/ST cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Mahila Court. Unlike other districts where Mahila Court prosecutors are usually women, and SC/ST courts are led by prosecutors from SC/ST backgrounds, Mayiladuthurai lacks specialised infrastructure and separate prosecutors. This situation strains the judicial system, delaying case resolutions,” said A. Velu Kubendran, President, Mayiladuthurai Bar Association.

The association has also called for the establishment of a separate court for cases under the Essential Commodities Act, handled by the EC Court in Thanjavur now, citing the increasing caseload in Mayiladuthurai. Additionally, it has emphasised the need for a consumer court to address consumer grievances.

It have also suggested that the site occupied by the Fire and Rescue Services station, which is being relocated near the Collectorate, could be repurposed for court facilities. The association also highlighted the lack of residential bungalows for the District and Sessions Judge and the Chief Judicial Magistrate, as well as inadequate staffing and infrastructure for existing courts.

“The current staff are under immense pressure, and without adequate resources, the judiciary cannot effectively serve the district. We request immediate action to address these gaps,” Mr. Kubendran added.

The Bar Association has forwarded its demands to the Madras High Court and is awaiting a response. District administration sources have indicated that a proposal to annex the land behind the court premises for judicial use has been forwarded to the appropriate department.