Assembly resolution asks Centre to rename Madras HC as TN High Court

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday adopted a unanimous resolution asking the Centre to rename Madras High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court and not Chennai HC as proposed in a Bill introduced in Parliament last month.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa moved the resolution which was welcomed by the main Opposition DMK, besides other parties, including Congress.

The resolution was adopted unanimously after members spoke on the appropriateness of renaming Madras High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court.

"Naming the High Court of Judicature at Madras as Tamil Nadu High Court will be most appropriate," Jayalalithaa said, moving the resolution.

"This House urges the Union government to alter the name from Chennai High Court, proposed in the Bill introduced in Parliament to Tamil Nadu HC," the resolution said, adding "It will be correct to call the High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court which is presently being called as Madras High Court."

Giving reasons for seeking the change, the resolution pointed out that the High Courts situated in other states take the respective names of such states, which were formed on linguistic basis in 1956.

It said it would be "inappropriate to call the High Court with jurisdiction over entire Tamil Nadu as Chennai High Court." The resolution said a HC bench is functioning from Madurai too.

"The name of Madras was changed to Chennai through a legislation in 1996 and according to it, Chennai will mean only the city of Chennai," it said.

The Centre had introduced 'High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill, 2016' in Lok Sabha on July 19, according to which Madras High Court will be called Chennai High Court from the date appointed by the Act, the resolution said.

Listing out the historical reasons behind the name of Madras High Court, Jayalalithaa said the British Parliament had enacted the Indian High Courts Act, 1861 and Letters

Patent was granted by Queen Victoria under which the Madras High Court was established in 1862.

It was named as "High Court of Judicature at Madras," to mean its location with jurisdiction over the entire Madras Presidency, including regions of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The High Courts established after states were reorganised on linguistic basis in 1956 were named after such states.

Thus, it was "not appropriate" to call Madras High Court under the same name that was set up on the basis of Letters Patent granted by Queen Victoria, she said.

A proposal was sent to the Central government in 1997 to rename Madras High Court as Chennai High Court after Madras city was renamed as Chennai in 1996, the CM added. DMK deputy leader Duraimurugan and Congress floor leader K R Ramasamy were among those who spoke briefly welcoming the resolution.