Madras Hc

Karthigai Deepam row: SC to hear Tamil Nadu plea on lamp near dargah

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider hearing a plea of the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court order permitting devotees of the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light traditional Karthigai Deepam lamp' at Deepathoon', a stone lamp pillar located on the Thiruparankundram hillock close to a dargah. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of a lawyer, representing the state government, and said the plea will be considered for listing before a bench. As soon as the matter was mentioned, a counsel for the respondents accused the government of creating unnecessary drama merely to convey to the high court that the issue had been brought to the notice of the Supreme Court. The state counsel, however, maintained it was just mentioning the case. We will see, the CJI said. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed an intra-court appeal filed by the Madurai district collector a

Akhanda 2 release postponed: Balakrishna film delayed amid Madras HC orders

Akhanda 2, the much-awaited Nandamuri Balakrishna sequel, has been delayed due to growing financial and legal issues. The fate of the movie, which was scheduled for release on Dec 5, is now uncertain

More of my compositions used without my permission, Ilayaraaja tells HC

Top music director Ilayaraaja has submitted before the Madras High Court that two more of his compositions have been used in a latest Tamil movie without his approval. The musician's counsel on Wednesday made the submission before a single bench which was hearing Ilayaraaja's plea against three music companies, including Sony Music Entertainment India Private Limited, against the 'unauthorised' use of his songs. His counsel said two songs of the music director have been used in the latest Tamil hit, Pradeep Ranganathan-starrer 'Dude.' The judge directed the petitioner to file a separate plea on the matter. Earlier, Sony Music submitted its revenue generated from Ilayaraaja's songs in a sealed cover and told the bench that the Supreme Court has sought the musician's response on the company's plea to transfer the copyright related case from Bombay High Court to the Madras HC. The judge did not accept the sealed cover since a related matter was pending in the apex Court. The court .

Vijay's TVK moves SC challenging HC order for SIT probe into Karur stampede

Tamil actor Vijay's political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court order constituting a SIT to probe the Karur stampede that killed 41 people. The apex court agreed to hear the plea on Friday. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran took note of the submissions of a lawyer that the plea, filed through TVK's secretary Aadhav Arjuna, be listed for hearing. On Tuesday, the bench agreed to hear on October 10 BJP leader Uma Anandan's plea challenging the high court order refusing a CBI probe into the September 27 stampede and seeking a CBI investigation. The CJI agreed to hear the instant plea on Friday along with the other petition. TVK has sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, contending that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by officers of the Tamil Nadu police. The stampede, which led to 41 deaths, injured more than 60

SC to hear plea against Madras HC order on relocation of historic tomb

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea against an order to relocate the tomb of David Yale and Joseph Hynmer, while ordering status quo with regard to the monument. The tomb, situated in the compound of the Madras Law College (now Dr Ambedkar Government Law College) which is part of the high court campus, was declared as a protected monument through a January 1921 notification made in the Fort St. George Gazette. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the Ministry of Culture and others seeking their responses on the plea challenging the April order of the Madras High Court. "Issue notice, returnable within four weeks," the bench said. The bench asked senior advocate Shyam Divan, who appeared for the petitioner, whether he wanted a stay on the operation of the high court order. "I will just say that in so far as this monument is concerned, status quo be preserved," Divan said. A single judge of the high court in June 2023 allowed a petition .

SC refuses to stay HC order restraining DMK from using OTP verification

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay an interim injunction by the Madras High Court against the use of OTP verification messages for the DMK's enrolment drive 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu'. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar dismissed the appeal filed by the DMK, saying the issue is sensitive. The whole process is suspect, it said. "The court has to protect the citizens. Go back to the high court. We are not inclined to interfere in the matter. Dismissed," the bench said. Senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for the DMK, submitted that the party was not collecting Aadhaar details. He contended that the high court had wrongly passed the order as there was no injunction sought in the matter. "My whole programme has come to a standstill. 1.7 crore members have come and offered thematic. I am doing what other parties like BJP and Aam Aadmi Party are doing. I am not collecting Aadhaar details," Wilson said. On July 21, the high court issued an injunction restraining th

ED not a drone to attack at will on any criminal activity, says Madras HC

ED not a drone to attack at will on any criminal activity: Madras HC

SC defers hearing of music composer Ilaiyaraaja's plea to July 18

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to July 18 the hearing on a plea of legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja seeking to transfer a copyright dispute involving over 500 of his musical compositions from the Bombay High Court to the Madras High Court. The plea was listed on Monday before a bench comprising Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria. The legal case started from a lawsuit initiated by Sony Music Entertainment India in 2022 before the Bombay High Court. Sony has sought an injunction to restrain Ilaiyaraaja Music N Management Pvt Ltd (IMMPL) from using 536 musical works. The company claims it acquired rights to these works through Oriental Records and Echo Recording, the entity with which Ilaiyaraaja has long been embroiled in litigation. The IMMPL, however, alleged that 310 of the 536 disputed works are already under judicial scrutiny in a parallel case before the Madras High Court. That case, originally filed by Ilaiyaraaja in 2014 against Echo Recording, challenges the

Tamil Nadu custodial death: Family of victim moves Madras High Court

The family of an alleged custodial victim from Sivaganga has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court, seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to register a murder case in connection with the incident. The case came up before the Madras HC bench here on Tuesday. The family pleaded the court for issue of a Writ of Mandamus or any other Writ, order or direction to the respondents, including TN Home Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) to register a murder case based on the complaint of the victim's mother. Ajithkumar (29) of Tiruppuvanam in Sivaganga, was picked up by the local police, reportedly in connection with a theft case earlier. His death later had sparked an outrage, with political parties slamming the government over the issue. The victim's counsel told reporters that a video purportedly showing policemen in plainclothes assaulting Ajithkumar has been submitted before the court.

Govt must handle NGO foreign funding cases with an 'open mind': Madras HC

The court made the observation while delivering an order on a plea by a Trust which had challenged the MHA's decision to reject its application for renewal of registration under the FCRA

Can't seal locked premises during PMLA searches: ED tells Madras HC

The Enforcement Directorate has submitted before the Madras High Court that it has no power to seal the premises, if the same was locked at the time of making search under the provisions of PMLA. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju made the submission when the petitions filed by film producer Akash Bhaskaran and businessman Vikram Ravindran came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justices M S Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan on Wednesday. In their petitions, Akash and Vikram challenged the action of ED in conducting the search at their residence and office and sealing the same. When the case came up, the bench questioned the power of ED to seal the premises. Raju submitted that the central prove agency has no power to seal the premises. However, it has powers under section 17 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to break open the lock. But, the ED did not want to escalate the situation, he added. He also informed the bench that the ED was instructed to withd

Madras High Court upholds Tamil Nadu's real-money gaming regulations

The Madras High Court has dismissed petitions challenging Tamil Nadu's real-money gaming rules that ban platforms from operating between midnight and 5 a.m, citing player welfare

TASMAC issue: HC directs ED not to proceed further against liquor retailer

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to proceed further pursuant to its searches at state-run liquor retailer TASMAC's headquarters in the city recently. While giving an oral direction to ED in this connection, the HC also directed the central agency to produce copies of FIR and Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) along with any other materials which it relied upon against the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation. After conducting searches at TASMAC earlier this month, ED had recently claimed irregularities to the tune of about Rs 1000 crore. A division bench comprising Justices M S Ramesh and N Senthilkumar posted to March 25, further hearing of the petitions filed by TASMAC and the Tamil Nadu government against the searches conducted by ED. In its petition, TASMAC sought a direction to the ED not to harass its employees under the guise of investigation. It also sought a declaration that the ED's action of investigating the offe

Senior citizens can cancel gift deed if children fail to take care: HC

Senior Citizens can cancel the gift or settle deeds executed in favour of their children or close relatives if they failed to take care of them, even if it was not explicitly mentioned in the conditions imposed in the deeds, the Madras High Court has ruled. A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed an appeal filed by S Mala, daughter-in-law of deceased S Nagalakshmi. Originally, Nagalakshmi executed a settlement deed in favour of her son Kesavan with a fond hope that he and her daughter-in-law will take care of her till her lifetime. But he failed to take care of her. Her daughter-in-law also neglected her after her son died. Therefore, she approached the RDO, Nagapattinam. After recording her statement that she executed the deed out of love and affection and for the future of her son, and after considering the statements of Mala, the RDO cancelled the settlement deed. Challenging this, Mala filed a petition and it was dismissed. Hence, she filed

HC directs Ananda Vikatan to remove offending caricature depicting PM Modi

The Madras High Court has directed Ananda Vikatan Productions Private Limited to remove the caricature depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi shackled in chains during a meeting with United States President Donald Trump and inform the same to the union government. On receipt of the information, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shall unblock the Ananda Vikatan website, said Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy. The judge passed the interim order on Thursday on a petition filed by Ananda Vikatan Productions Private Limited and Ananda Vikatan Publishers Private Limited, challenging an order of the I&B Ministry, dated February 25, 2025, blocking the website and sought a consequential direction to the Ministry to restore public access to the website. When the case came up for hearing, senior counsel Vijay Narayan, appearing for Ananda Vikatan submitted that the caricature depicting the leaders will not affect the integrity and sovereignty of India. It was freedom of ...

Fear of surveillance assault on press: Madras HC on journalists' harassment

Justice Ilanthiraiyan of Madras HC cited the Press Council Act, noting that the source of information reported by journalists is protected under Sec 15(2), which safeguards privileged communication

'Anna University sexual assault case is being politicised', says Madras HC

The incident, which took place on December 23, involved the sexual assault of a 19-year-old engineering student on the university campus

SC stays revival of corruption case against former TN CM Panneerselvam

In a relief to former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed an order of the Madras High Court restoring a disproportionate assets (DA) case against him and his family members. A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti issued notice to the Tamil Nadu police and others on a plea filed by Panneerselvam. "In the present matter concerned, the challenge is to the impugned order of single judge of the High Court judicature at Madras exercising powers of suo motu criminal revision, under Section 397 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. Issue notice," the bench directed. In the meantime, the operation of the judgment was stayed by the top court. The high court, on October 29, set aside a trial court order allowing the prosecution to withdraw the DA case against Panneerselvam and others while discharging the accused. The high court set aside the order of the chief judicial magistrate/special judge, Sivaganga, passed on December 3, .

Grant exemption to disabled person on Tamil language requirement: Madras HC

The Madras High Court has observed that the barriers faced by persons with disabilities go beyond just physical accessibility issues, extending to deep rooted prejudice, stereotypes and misconcepts that pervaded many aspects of the society. Justice N Anand Venkatesh made the observation in a recent order while allowing a petition from B Vidyasagar, Assistant Engineer, Tamil Nadu Housing Board, a disabled person, seeking a direction to the authorities not to insist him to produce the certificate of passing the Tamil Language Test in the light of a G.O dated May 23, 2022 and to grant pending increments and promotion. The judge said from education and employment to health care and public services, persons with disabilities often face significant obstinance that hinder their full participation and inclusion. In view of the same, a Constitutional Court must develop an understanding of the societal, attitudinal, cultural, institutional, structural, legal and environmental barriers that ...

Watching, storing child pornography offence under Pocso Act: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court also recommended a shift in terminology from 'child pornography' to 'child sexually abusive and exploitative material'