MP/MLA cases no longer with Justice Anand
While it is a routine matter where the portfolios of judges are shuffled once in three months, the change was still noted in the legal circles due to the importance of the cases that he had initiated.
CHENNAI: In a significant development, the Madras High Court’s master of roster changed the portfolio of Justice N Anand Venkatesh from hearing cases related to Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly to hear civil dispute cases.
However, legal experts opined that the suo motu cases that the judge initiated against senior politicians, including incumbent ministers, would continue to remain with him even after the changes, as the cases were listed before him asspecially assigned by the Chief Jus- tice of the High Court.
While it is a routine matter where the portfolios of judges are shuffled once in three months, the change was still noted in the legal circles due to the importance of the cases that he had initiated. As per the notification, Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala as the master of ros- ter reshuffled the portfolios of judges as is done every three months and assigned Justice Anand Venkatesh to hear civil miscellaneous appeals. He earlier held the portfolio of hearing cases related to MPs/MLAs.
During his tenure holding the port- folio, Justice Anand Venkatesh had hit the headlines after initiating suo motu revisions against the discharge of top politicians of the State from graft cases. The judge initiated suo motu against Ministers K Ponmudy, I Periyasamy, KKSSR Ramachandran,and Thangam Thennarasu, and for- mer ministers O Panneerselvam, B Valarmathi.
The new portfolio will come into ex- istence from April 1, the roster added.