Don't address judges by name while arguing, remove your collar-bands and no long adjournments -these were some of the curt commands the Madras high court gave when two Madurai-based lawyers appeared before it in connection with contempt of court proceedings on Monday .
On July 28, a bench of Justice S Tamilvanan and Justice C T Selvam had issued notices to Madurai Bar Association president A K Ramasamy and secretary A Dharmarajan, asking them why suo motu contempt proceedings of should not be initiated against them on the basis of reports from judicial officers and high court officials about incidents during an agitation by advocates in Madurai in the aftermath of a high court order making helmets compulsory for two-wheeler riders from July 1.
On Monday morning Ramasamy addressed the leading judge by name and wanted early disposal of the case. Justice Tamilvanan asked him not to mention judges by name, and then agreed to hear the matter at 2.15pm. In the afternoon, he disallowed Ramasamy from advancing arguments after he informed the court that he had engaged Madras High Court Advocates Association president R C Paul Kanagaraj as his counsel. He first asked Ramasamy to remove the collar band and then made it clear that he could not argue.
When counsel sought immediate disposal, the bench again said they have set out the charges and the contemnors should first file a counter-affidavit. Then their counsel sought adjorunment by eight weeks. This was also disallowed by judges, who gave just a fortnight for them to come back and argue.
This infuriated about 50 advocates accompanying the Ramasamy and Dharmajan.They shouted slogans in the court corridor accusing some judges of misdeeds. They assembled near the Madras Bar Association entrance and vowed never to allow some judges to `come to Madurai'.They also chased a news reporter when he tried to photograph them.
