Southern States - Tamil Nadu

New building for Judicial Academy

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI March 10. The State Judicial Academy, now functioning from the `Malligai', will have a new building at an estimated outlay of Rs. 4.5 crores. (The decades-old `Malligai' building, where the Special Investigation Team probing the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was headquartered, is to be ``pulled down'').

Laying the foundation for the proposed 11,000-odd sq. ft. building here today, Justice B.N. Kirpal of the Supreme Court said the academy should train advocates also since they constituted an important arm of the judiciary. On the shortage of judges in various courts, Mr. Justice Kirpal said ``it is not in our hands. It is for the executive to take care of the problem.''

Pointing out that the National Judicial Academy project in Bhopal experienced cost over-runs, the judge, who will take over the reins from the incumbent Chief Justice of India, S.P. Bharucha, in April, said Rs. 4.5 crores might not be sufficient for the proposed building.

Justice G.B. Pattanaik of the Supreme Court said extending required funds to the judiciary was the Constitutional mandate of every State Government.

Underlining the importance of legal training, he said errors in recording dying declarations and statements would ultimately lead to the escape of real culprits.

The academy would hold induction courses for newly-appointed judicial officers and refresher courses for serving officials, he said.

The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, B. Subhashan Reddy, said the allotted fund would be used for building a sprawling complex, which would also have hostel facilities for judicial officers attending refresher courses. The existing `Malligai' building would be pulled down.

Justice S. Jagadeesan said the State Government was keen to complete the project expeditiously. Welcoming, Justice A.S. Venkatachalamoorthy said the academy would impart a fullfledged training to officers at all levels.

The PWD Minister, O. Panneerselvam, attributed the establishment of 49 Fast Track Courts in the State to the joint efforts of the Chief Minister and the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. FTCs would help expedite case disposals and reduce pendency, he said.

Among others, the Law Minister, D. Jayakumar, many High Court Judges, the Principal Sessions Judge, S. Ashok Kumar, and the Advocate-General, N.R. Chandran, attended the meeting.

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