Madras High Court Issues Notice On Plea To Bring In SOP For Appointing Law Officers By State To Ensure Transparency And Merit

The Madurai bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice M Jothiraman has issued notice to the Principal Secretary (Home Department) and the Principal Secretary (Law Department).

The petition has been filed by C Selvakumar of Madurai. He had previously filed a writ petition seeking direction to the State Government to strike off the improper appointment of Law Officers, which according to him was done in complete violation of Law Officers of High Court of Madras and its Bench at Madurai (Appointment) Rules 2017. This plea is pending in the High Court.

While so, the newly elected State Government, led by CM Joseph Vijay, had issued a notification, inviting applications for the post of Government Advocate (Criminal Side) in the High Court of Madras and its bench in Madurai.

The petitioner argued that during this process, a list, allegedly recommended by a political party (AICC Law Department) for the appointment as Law Officers was being circulated online. The petitioner argued that this list violates the principles of meritocracy and transparency mandated by the Supreme Court.

The petitioner argued that if the state was permitted to finalise the list based on political recommendations, it would cause irreparable harm to the judicial administration in the State. The petitioner also argued that if the same is permitted, it would completely defeat the very purpose of the main petition.

The petitioner thus sought to formulate an SOP for appointing Law officers. Till such a regulation was made or the main plea was decided, the petitioner sought to restrain the State from appointing any persons from the list of advocates recommended by the political entities or any other private sources and also sought a stay on the operation of the notification.

Case Title: Thirumurugan v The Principal Secretary to Government and others

Case No: WMP (MD) 11604 of 2026 in WP(MD) 18070/2025