Draft rules for appointment of law officer submitted in HC

The draft rules framed for the appointment of law officers appearing on behalf of the state government in various courts have been submitted to the Madras High Court.
The draft rules were submitted yesterday by senior advocates A L Somayaji and R Krishnamoorthy, who were earlier appointed by the court as amicus curie to go into framing of rules, to the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar.
The bench in its order said "it will be open to the state government now to proceed and notify these draft rules, unless they have some concern, which can be brought to the notice of the court on the next date of hearing".

V Vasanthakumar, an advocate of the High Court, had earlier filed a PIL stating that law officers should be law knowing persons and not political leaders.
The judges said unless the appointment of law officers is made fairly based on the merit, ability and integrity, the justice delivery system would be in peril.
Observing that the law officers were conducting the cases on behalf of the state and not at the instance of the ruling party, Vasanthakumar had submitted it was an unwritten rule that whichever party comes to power, the advocates, sympathisers of that party were appointed as law officers.

Directing the government to notify the draft rules, the court posted the case for further hearing to March 16.