Thread by @lawbarandbench

Four new Judges for the #MadrasHighCourt, Justices Sundaram Srimathy, D Bharatha Chakravarthy, R Vijayakumar, and Mohammad Shaffiq, to be sworn into office shortly.

Justice Sundaram Srimathy administered the oath of office.

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Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy being sworn into office.

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Justice R Vijayakumar has been administered the oath of office.

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Justice Mohammad Shaffiq being sworn into office.

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Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram gives the welcome address: Vanakkam to all

Justice Srimathy has served as senior standing counsel, special govt pleader, a panel advocate of various banks, nodal counsel for union public service commission etc. AG informs

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Justice Chakravarthy obtained his law degree in Dr Ambedkar Law College, Puducherry, achieved 4th place in All-India Jessup Moot Court competition. In 28 years of practice, he has served as standing counsel for various PSUs, as Public Prosecutor etc., AG informs

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Justice Vijayakumar graduated from Madras Law College; after practicing for 4 years in #MadrasHighCourt, he suspended practice in view of his father's elevation to the Court; he worked then as a legal officer and legal lecturer; thereafter he resumed practice (23 yrs), AG informs

Justice Shaffiq hails from an illustrious family, his father practice before HC particularly in taxation, civil laws etc.; he obtained his law degree from Madras Law College, practiced under senior lawyer C Natarajan, a leader of tax Bar, has around 27 yrs of practice, AG informs

AG: With these introductions about the four newly elevated judges, I whole-heartedly welcome and congratulate each one of them for achieving these formidable heights.

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AG: It is possible to achieve these heights only if one inculcates basic values like integrity, industry and perseverance. It is quite true that nothing is easy. With respect to legal work, that is absolutely true.

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AG: It is apparent from their Lordships' elevations that they lived through these tenets in their lives. With this noteworthy reference, I share my happiness in welcoming all the newly appointed additional judges of this Hon'ble High Court of Madras.

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Chairman, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry: Justice Srimathy is the 13th serving woman judge in the #MadrasHighCourt.

It is proud to mention that our Hon'ble High Court is having more number of women judges compared to other HCs and we expect the same to continue.

BCTN Chairman: Many famous and eminent jurists have adorned the Bench (of MHC). All new judges have also been associated with the institution.

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BCTN Chairman: The newly appointed Judges are well-expertised in all fields of law. By their integrity and virtue, there will be a great strength and virtue to the judiciary. Their intelligence in various fields of law would help for the disposal of more cases.

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President, Madras High Court Advocates Association: We wish you all successful tenure... the new judges sworn in today have rich experience as lawyers and we are sure that they will excel in their role as a Judge of this Hon'ble Court.

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MHAA President thanks Chief Justice for reopening the law chambers and canteen facilities for the benefit of lawyers.

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MHAA President: We request the Chief Justice and expect that the Court will be very soon reopened for physical hearing and that advocates may be permitted to use all entries and exits for ease of entry into the High Court campus.

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Address being given on behalf of President, Madras Bar Association: The pandemic has thrown a challenge to the legal fraternity. Fortunately, with the help of the Chief Justice and other Judges, we were able to tide over the crisis.

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Address on behalf of MBA President: The help of the staff is immense. Between 10 and 10.30, before the judges come to the screen, we make so much requests. They very politely and graciously listen to us. Without their help, we could not have practiced all along.

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Chairman of Women Lawyers Association: I am proud to extend my warm and humble welcome to Justice Sundaram Srimathy, the 13th woman justice in this chartered High Court.

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WLA Chairman: I feel extremely privileged to welcome our brother Judges, Justices D Bharatha Chakravarthy, R Vijayakumar and Mohammad Shaffiq by stating a Thirukural ... "A king will be esteemed a god among men who performs his duties and protects his people."

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Law Association President extends welcome to the newly appointed Judges, wishes the Judges a memorable tenure.

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Justice Sundaram Srimathy thanks all for coming: I am extremely humbled and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as a Judge of this Court ... We are aware of the great heritage of the #MadrasHighCourt which has produced the greatest judges during the past 150 yrs

Justice Srimathy: I feel a sense of pride and privilege to be associated with this great institution. I hail from an ordinary family. I am a first-generation lawyer. I thank my late father and I miss him on this occasion. I thank my mother, my school, teachers, college,professors

Justice Srimathy thanks her husband, her seniors, Judges, colleagues, others who have played a vital role

Justice Srimathy quotes from the Bhagavad Gita on the concept of Justice, refers to Krishna's instruction to Arjuna on being permitted to fight for justice

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Justice Srimathy: A surgical operation is not meant to kill the patient but to cure him. The fighting to be executed by Arjuna at the instance of Krishna is with full knowledge, so there is no possibility of sinful reaction.

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Justice Srimathy: It is well said that without Justice being freely, fully and impartially administered, neither our persons nor our rights, nor our property can be protected.

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Justice Srimathy: We all know that the roles of Judges include preserving the independence of judiciary, enhancing public confidence and maintaining high standards for judicial administration.

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Justice Srimathy: Public confidence in the Court is a fundamental proposition. The greatest strength of judiciary is the faith of the people on justice delivery system.

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Justice Srimathy recounts Socrates' views that a Judge must hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly; and decide impartially.

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Justice Srimathy: As a Judge, I pray to almighty to give me the grace to hear patiently, consider diligently, to understand rightly and to decide justly, and to grant me due sense of humility.

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Justice Srimathy: I would like to say that the Bar is the Judge of Judges. It is my firm belief that the legal system can only work with the cooperation of the Bar and the Bench.

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Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy: My humble pranams to the Chief Justice and everyone present. I understand that the best way to show my gratitude to all concerned...should be by my action. I assure I will strive my best to justify the confidence reposed in me

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Justice Chakravarthy: I hail from a rural background. It is because of the sweat and blood of my parents that I am before you. They not only worked hard, but though ahead of their times. T

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Justice Chakravarthy: They sent me to the best schools. It is now a common phenomenon to send your kid to the nearby town, but visualize 1970s. No cellphones, no landlines, no public transport, no road to my village.

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Justice Chakravarthy: I had to travel in my father's bicycle for 1.5 kms in a track, then in a katcha road for 1.5 kms before I could reach a pukka road. It is from these circumstances, that my parents held me high above their shoulders and made me what I am today.

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Justice Chakravarthy: I was left in the care of my grandmother, Thangammal, during school study. If I am any good at storytelling, the credit goes to her. She instilled the reading habit in me.

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Justice Chakravarthy recounts that when he wanted to come to Chennai to practice from Puducherry, he did not know anyone. He was put in touch with R Subramaniam, then an Asst Govt Pleader for Puducherry.

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Justice Chakravarthy: It was like a Gurukulam for me. I used to go to my office at 6.30 am and come back at 10.30 pm. Not only because of my enthusiasm for work, I was considered a member of my senior's family, they fed all three meals

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Justice Chakravarthy: And I could stop being a parasite on my parents from the second month of my practice, which is very important for any migrant junior who comes to practice in the High Court.

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Justice Chakravarthy: Thereafter, I joined the offices of Mr Perumbulavil Radhakrishnan. Again he treated me as family. You can't find a greater human being than my senior, Radhakrishnan.

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Justice Chakravarthy: Myself, my colleague Sai Krishnan and Justice Illanthriyan. From 1988, the first day of law college, initially itself we planned to go to Chennai, apprentice under different seniors and practice together. As per plan, we set up office.

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Justice Chakravarthy recounts starting the office with a borrowed table, a couple of second-hand chairs, and dockets: That is all we thought was required to start a law firm. Ladies and gentlemen, the power of innocence.

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Justice Chakravarthy: However,the profession was very kind to us. There was no looking back. We bought our first book, first computer, your first case gets reported in CTC - the excitement you get. I would say that being a first-generation lawyer is an advantage

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Justice Chakravarthy: That is how we built, brick by brick. We enjoyed our journey together. Practicing together is the best thing which would have happened to us.

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Justice Chakravarthy: We got everything in abundance. We had three sets of parents guiding us. We were extremely fortunate to practice together.

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Justice Chakravarthy adds that there are two great things about the #MadrasHighCourt, apart from its great heritage and its glorious past.

Justice Chakravarthy: First, the guidance of the seniors. You know, if you argue very fast, a senior will guide you 'Bharat, you are going very fast.' Then someone will say, 'you argued very well.' This is guidance, it is very good thing which should continue

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Justice Chakravarthy says that the second aspect that is good about #MadrasHighCourt is about its good fee structure.

Justice Chakravarthy speaks of his family, his two sisters, his son, who he calls his inspiration and his wife: She will always check on me whenever I get extra fees, 'are you on the right side of ethics?'

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Justice Chakravarthy hopes that he will be guided to work with empathy, expresses thanks and concludes his address.

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Justice R Vijayakumar expresses thanks to the Judges, the Collegium, his family. He assures that he will dedicate himself to the divine duty of dispensation of justice.

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Justice Mohammad Shaffiq thanks the Chief Justice, the Advocate General, the Bar Council Chairman, the President, and other office-bearers of other associations, the Collegium.

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Justice Shaffique: I certainly believe that two persons who would have been most joyous are my late father, SM Abdul Khader and the late C Natarajan, Senior Advocate. I invoke the memory of my father, my senior. Even on my brightest day I am but a shadow of them

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Justice Shaffique: I think for 27 years, I had learnt everything from the Bench. From tomorrow, I look forward to learning from the Bar.

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Event concludes after the national anthem.

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