Every Independence Day turns out to be a day for dual celebration for the Madras High Court as it turns a year older on that day. Coincidentally, it was on August 15, 1862 that the Madras High Court formally came into existence. In remembrance of 160th year of its existence, Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari released a commemorative stamp and Justice M. Duraiswamy, the senior most judge, received the first copy on Monday.
Though the Charter for the establishment of the High Court of Judicature at Madras, after abolishing the Supreme Court of Madras Presidency, was issued by Queen Victoria on June 23, 1862, the High Court came into being formally on August 15, 1862. It functioned at the Bentick Building on First Line Beach for 30 years before shifting to its present building, a beautiful red brick structure built in Indo Sarcenic style, on July 12, 1892.
Chief Justice Bhandari released the stamp, containing the image of the High Court buildings and its logo, after hoisting the national flag and receiving the guard of honour from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. He also gave away gold medals to four drivers who had completed 20 years of service and distributed prizes to lawyers who won an elocution competition conducted as part of the national celebration of 75 years of Independence.
Ministers, judges, bureaucrats, law officers, police officers, office-bearers of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, leaders of various bar associations and others participated in the celebrations. Justice T. Raja, the second senior judge of the High Court, joined the Chief Justice when he distributed the prizes to the three winners of the elocution competition conducted at the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy in view of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of freedom)..
