Public Funds Can't Be Given To 'Favoured Few': Madras High Court Suggests Audit Of 'Scandalously High' Fees Paid To Govt Law Officers

The Madras High Court has recently observed that it was time that an audit be conducted regarding payment of fee to the law officers in the State. Justice GR Swaminathan made the observation on noting that Additional Advocate Generals were appearing even in small matters where their presence was not required. The court added that while it could not enquire into the quantum of fee to be paid to senior counsels and additional advocate generals, good governance was required to ensure that...

Madras High Court To Inspect Marina Beach, Verify Location Of Vendor Shops & Facilities To Be Provided Under Blue Flag Area Scheme

The Madras High Court has decided to inspect the Marina Beach to have a clarity on the locations where vendors would be allowed and the facilities that would be provided as part of the Blue Flag Area Scheme. Justice R Suresh Kumar and Justice AD Jagadish Chandira have decided to visit the beach on 22nd December. The court directed the stakeholders, including representatives from the...

Madras High Court Refuses To Accept DGP's Report On Orderly System Being Completely Abolished In State, Asks State For Explanation

The Madras High Court, on Friday, refused to accept a report submitted by the Director General of Police informing the court that the orderly system was completely abolished in the state of Tamil Nadu. The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan refused to accept the report in light of recent news reports, which suggested that the uniformed personnel continued to be...

Income Tax Act | S.153C Notices Unsustainable When Search For 'Other Person' Initiated After 01.04.2021: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court held that the notices under Section 153C are unsustainable where a search for 'other person' was initiated after 01.04.2021. Section 153C of the Income Tax Act applies when documents or assets belonging to a third party are found during a search, and an assessment is made against that person. Section 153C(3) of the Income Tax Act states that Section...

Madras High Court Rejects Jaipur Restaurant's Co-Ownership Claim To 'Dasaprakash' Trademark

The Madras High Court has refused to recognise a Jaipur-based company as a co-owner of the “Dasaprakash” trademark, holding that the brand is a jointly owned family mark that could not have been transferred by a single family member.The original mark is commonly associated with a South Indian restaurant chain. A single bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh, in a judgment dated December 16,...

Madras High Court Directs State To Form Standard Operating Procedure For Political Meetings By January 5

The Madras High Court has directed the State of Tamil Nadu to take a call on the Standard Operating Procedures, which would be made applicable to all political parties for public meetings, by January 5, 2026.The bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that a lot of suggestions and objections were placed before it. Having gone through the affidavits...

New Criminal Laws Mark Constitutional Transformation, Made Process Victim-Centric, Citizen-Responsive & Justice-Oriented: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently remarked that the new criminal laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, transformed the criminal process and made it more victim-centric, citizen-responsive and justice-oriented. “The advent of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and...

Commercial Courts Act Bars Intra-Court Appeals In Patent Disputes: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has held that an intra-court appeal is not maintainable against an order passed by a Single Judge while deciding a statutory patent appeal under the Patents Act. The court reiterated that the Commercial Courts Act does not permit a second appeal within the High Court. “Any expansion of scope of the Commercial Courts Act will defeat its objectives and there is no...

'No Material To Show Stone Pillar Is A Deepathoon': State Tells Madras High Court In Thiruparankundram Case, Verdict Reserved

The Madras High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict in a batch of appeals preferred against a single judge order permitting lighting of Karthigai Deepam (lamp) at the Deepathoon (stone pillar) in the Thiruparankundram Hills, close to a dargah.The bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan reserved orders after a marathon hearing spanning 5 days. It heard the State,...

Income Tax Act | Reassessment U/S 147 Valid If Original Order Did Not Consider S. 80HHC Claim Earlier: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court held that reassessment under Section 147 of the Income Tax Act is valid if the original order is completely silent on the assessee's claim for deduction under Section 80HHC of the Income Tax Act. Section 147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, empowers the Assessing Officer (AO) to assess or reassess income that has escaped assessment. Justices Anita Sumanth...

'State Not Secular, Tilted Against Us': Devotees Urge Madras High Court Not To Relegate Thiruparankundram Deepam Issue To Authorities

Opposing the appeal preferred by State and Madurai authorities against single judge's order directing lighting of a lamp at the stone pillar in Thiruparakundram Hills, the devotees urged the Madras High Court on Wednesday (December 17) not to relegate them to the authorities as they have "undisguised scorn and contempt towards" their faith. The devotees submitted that the State authorities...

Thiruparankundram Deepam Row | Madras HC Asks Chief Secy Whether 'Repeated Disobedience' Of Orders Is Done Under Instructions, Seeks Reply

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on senior Tamil Nadu officials during the contempt proceedings linked to the Thiruparankundram Karthigai Deepam issue, asking the Chief Secretary whether the repeated disobedience of court directions was occurring “under instructions.”Justice G.R. Swaminathan, who was hearing the contempt plea alleging...