CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry to respond to a petition seeking to ban the permission granting to private law colleges in the State.

The first division bench of the Madras High Court (MHC) comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice PD Audikesavalu adjourned the petition and directed the state government, bar council of Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry to respond to the petition within September 5.

A petitioner Harishankar from Nungambakkam, Chennai moved the MHC seeking to direct the Chief Secretary and Law department to establish government law colleges in all the left-out districts in Tamil Nadu.

Legal education and legal aid are State's duty and not the government's charity, there is a dire need for the establishment of government law colleges in every district, read the petition.

None of the private law colleges follow the reservation policies of the government and the noble purpose of imparting education at affordable cost is totally defeated, mentioned the petition.

The Tamil Nadu Establishment of Private law colleges (Prohibition) Act, 2014 has been enacted to establish an adequate number of government law colleges to impart legal education at an affordable cost. The mushroom growth of private law colleges in the State can be restricted, said the petition.