CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has said that holding ‘katta panchayats’ (kangaroo courts) subverted the judicial process, and warned it will frame guidelines if the state government does not enact the promised special law soon. “We have made it clear to the advocate general that though we cannot issue any directions to enact any legislation, we will no other option but to step in and issue guidelines to fill in the vacuum existing in this behalf so as to subserve the judicial system and prevent its subversion”, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar, passing further orders on a PIL said. Adjourning the matter for further hearing to March 24, the bench said it would issue the guidelines the next day unless “we are informed that the draft legislation is ready with the intent of the government to propose it to the assembly.” A man named Gopal approached the high court to direct police in 2005 to register his complaint and direct Nalla Thanneer Odai Kuppam Meenava Grama Sabha in Tiruvottiyur to return Rs 40,000 illegally collected. The court said on January 22, 2016 the state’s public secretary appeared in court and said a special law was under the ‘active consideration’ of the government, the bench said: “We find the that there is no change in the request made by AG today, once again, saying that a special law had to be framed.”]]>
