The Madras High Court today granted ten days time to the Tamil Nadu government to frame the draft rules for appointment of law officers representing the state.
The First Bench, comprising Chief justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar, said the Advocate General has submitted that rules are still in the process of being drafted.
"We find that this process has been going on for quite some months and, at the request of AG, we grant last opportunity to file the draft rules and hand over the copies to amicus curiae within 10 days, failing which the amicus curiae proceed to suggest the rules ignoring contribution which the state government wanted to give, but has not given till date," the bench said.
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"The amicus curiae states that he would require about 2 weeks time to examine the rules and make the suggestions."
The bench was hearing a batch of PILs challenging the appointment of law officers in the state.
When the petitions came up for hearing, the AG submitted that the process of framing draft rules was still on.
The petitioners have submitted that the post of a law officer is not a political post, but a public post with great responsibility in the administration of justice. They said unless the appointment of law officers is made fairly, based on merit, ability and integrity, the justice delivery system would be in peril.
Stating that loyalty to the ruling party in power gets priority in the appointment of law officers, the petitioners submitted that integrity, capability, honesty, efficiency and legal acumen of the lawyers has become secondary.
They prayed the court to pass orders to the governments of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to frame guidelines for the appointment of law officers.
The Puducherry government has already prepared the draft rules and submitted it to the court.
The First Bench had earlier appointed senior advocates AL Somayaji and R. Krishnamoorthy as amicus curiae in the matter.
Granting 10 days to the state government to frame the draft rules, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to February 13.
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