Sunil Prakash (a.k.a) Representation on placing restrictions from parking of vehicles outside the City Civil Court,
Mobile: 9043184900
To, By E-Mail Date: 23.05.2020
1) The Honorable Chief Justice,
Madras High Court
Chennai-104
2) Thiru C. Kumarappan,
Registrar General
Madras High Court
Chennai-104
e-mail: regrgenl@nic.in., cpc-tn@indianjudiciary.gov.in., hcourt@tn.nic.in
My Lord,
Sub: Representation on placing restrictions from parking of vehicles outside the City Civil Court, Family Court and Small Causes Court compound.
Representation for Your Lordship’s kind attention:
The Small Causes Court complex, City Civil Court complex and Family Court complex are located very close to the security check access of the Hon’ble High Court. During normalcy, the two and four wheeled vehicles are parked haphazardly outside the Hon’ble Court complex, often it curtails the free ingress and egress. There is always continuous and repeated movement of the lawyers/clerks to the Hon’ble High Court from the Sub-ordinate Courts in the campus and vice versa because of the enhanced used of technology and with the support of Bench in placing High Court display board at City Civil Court complex, Family Court complex and recently in the Bar Association, which is highly beneficial in tracking the High Court case listing.
The width of road near the security check access is around 15 feet, two and four wheeled vehicles are parked in road and in allotted space for parking, there is always continuous movement of vehicles from both sides, sometimes it gets jammed, sometimes honk are used which might disturb and distracts the smooth functioning of the Hon’ble Court in concord. There is more chaos, free and fast movements of the lawyers are curtailed, forced to pass through between the parked vehicles, sometimes the gown of the lawyers gets wedged in the parked and moving two wheeled handle bar.
Most of the lawyers during the court hours are more stressed, on constant discussion and on the quick move because of such haphazard parking of vehicles it adds more woes to the happy stressful profession of a lawyer.
The two security check access to the Hon’ble High Court are well placed between the City Civil Court, Small Causes Court and Family Court. Most of the lawyers practicing in Hon’ble High Court simultaneously practice in other Courts in the High Court campus namely (Small Causes Court, City Civil Court, Family Court, Labour Court and Tribunals)
For instance during normalcy:
a) Security check access – 1
It is located near X Assistant City Civil Court and XIV Small Causes Court, the Small Causes Court Complex – VI, VIII, XI, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI Courts and in City Civil Court Complex – VI, VIII, IX, X Assistant Courts and one ad-hoc Court for recording evidence – functioning in the ground floor which has the view of road from the respective Hon’ble Courts.
b) Security check access – 2
It is located near to the Family Court complex, it also houses Assistant and Additional Civil Court, Family Court, Labour Court, C.B.I Court and C.A.T in the same complex. In the Family Courts, presence of litigants is vital and often their respective family members also accompany them, hence the entire stretch is always crowded with litigants. The Principal Judge, Family Court functioning in the ground floor has the view of road from the Hon’ble Court. (Access to IV Additional to VII Additional Family Courts is just few feet away from the security check)
During present pandemic phase:
I anticipate few guidelines and restrictions of My Lord’s to protect the members of the Judiciary at large, the activity inside the Court hall (inclusive of sub-ordinate Courts) will be restricted.
During normalcy the Court staffs, litigants, lawyers and clerks at large have their lunch inside the Court halls as lawyers at large don’t have the facility of chambers, space constraints in the Bar Association. It might not be practicable in the present scenario as social distancing is pivotal and rules of the Bar Association would be forced to be rigid to maintain social distancing.
In the Sub-ordinate Court Complex (within the High Court campus) there is no seating facility for the litigants/lawyers except court halls / associations (access restricted for lawyers). If the above mentioned parking space is made as No Parking / No vehicular movement zone then the entire extent of the place could be used either as an alternative place for lunch, seating facility can also be introduced, social distancing can be complied with full vigor. It would help the litigants/lawyers/clerks and Court staffs at large.
Additional Suggestions:
1) The movement of the vehicles via railway counter, e court fee counter and canteen could be allowed to be moved till the beginning of the Family Court Complex, it is also one of the prevailing route to reach the exit gate via 150 years arch.
2) The movement of the vehicles could be restricted near X Asst. City Civil Court simultaneously near Indian Bank.
On doing so, there will be huge space available for free flow of lawyers, clerks, Court staffs and litigants. The decorum which is duly followed inside the Hon’ble Court can be followed even outside in same vigor. There will be no distraction for the sub-ordinate judges from buzzing of vehicles, horn and etc.
The above mentioned parking place are pre-dominantly used by the lawyers, clerks, court staffs, interns and few Sub-Ordinate Judges. There is already separate space embarked for the Sub-Ordinate Judges behind the old canteen and there could be little shortage of parking space for others which could be culled out by making arrangements in the locked law college premises.
3) The vehicle movements can also be curtailed considering the prevailing pandemic situation inside the Court premises by placing restrictions in not allowing the vehicle beyond the police check post (New Auditorium, Fire station) via Esplanade Police Station for additional safety (disinfectants could be easily sprayed and social distancing). If My Lord’s anxiety is about the senior aged lawyers and the distance between the parking space and the Hon’ble Courts, there could be a provision for battery operated open car in near time (as in railway stations and in many tourist places) at a nominal fee and also introduction of No spitting zone in the entire campus.
Your Lordship with rich experience would have already formulated necessary effective guidelines by reviewing the prevalent position. My Lord might consider placing restrictions on the movement/parking of vehicles near the compound of Small Causes Court, City Civil Court and Family Court Complex considering the members of the Judiciary at large.
