Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday reiterated his request for opening a Bench of the Supreme Court in Chennai and allowing Tamil, the official language of the State, to be used in the Madras High Court.
He was speaking at an event to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) at Kalaivanar Arangam here, in presence of Supreme Court Judge Sanjay Kisan Kaul, National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice (retd.) Arun Mishra and Madras High Court Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari.
Mr. Stalin recalled that he had urged for a Bench of the Supreme Court in Chennai and the use of Tamil in the Madras High Court a few months ago at an event in which Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana had participated. “I am making the requests again at this event in the presence of judges who have come as guests to ensure that they are fulfilled,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said the vacancies at the SHRC would be filled and the point made about the lack of adequate police personnel on the enquiry committee would be studied and a decision would be taken soon. He said a Tamil version of the SHRC website would be created and all information about human rights would be translated into Tamil.
The Chief Minister recalled that though the demand for establishing the SHRC had been made since 1993, it was not fulfilled. It was established only when the DMK came to power in 1996 and a government order was issued on December 20, 1996. The then Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, made the announcement in the Assembly, he said.
Mr. Stalin said that safeguarding human rights had always been a priority, as envisaged by the Constitution, and his government would not fail in its duty in this regard. “Our government’s focus is on social justice,” he said.
