Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the long-standing demand for a regional bench.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to request the establishment of a Supreme Court bench in Chennai, according to The New Indian Express and The Hindu.
The Chief Minister stated that the demand was first raised by the state in 1980 to assist litigants from southern states who must travel to New Delhi for legal redressal.
Mr. Vijay noted that Article 130 of the Constitution allows the Supreme Court to sit in locations other than Delhi with presidential approval. He argued that a Chennai bench would benefit all southern states and support the nation's federal character while leaving administrative control with the Chief Justice of India.
The letter highlighted that the distance and expenses of travelling to the capital make the remedies under Article 32 difficult for economically weaker sections and those in the south.
The Chief Minister cited recommendations from Law Commission reports and Parliamentary Standing Committees from 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2021. He also mentioned the professional competence of the Madras High Court Bar.
He recalled that on August 7, 2007, the Supreme Court's Full Court found no reason to change its previous resolutions against regional benches, despite the state's offer to provide necessary infrastructure and residential facilities for judges.
