Coimbatore judge on cycle earns respect for simplicity

COIMBATORE: Every morning, as advocates, litigants and court staff make their way into the Coimbatore District Court complex, one judge quietly draws attention, not by arriving in an official vehicle or chauffeur-driven car, but on a bicycle.

For PK Sivakumar, Judge of the Vth Additional Sessions Court in Coimbatore, pedalling all his way to the court from his residence in Sungam is simply a way of life.

"He is a simple man. I have seen him pedalling to court on his bicycle. Despite being a judge, he prefers to walk around the court premises on his own. He even steps out occasionally for a cup of tea or to buy newspapers. Unlike the customary practice of being accompanied by court attendants, he chooses to walk alone, avoiding unnecessary ceremony," said PR Arulmoli, a former Government Pleader in Coimbatore.

Judge Sivakumar's simplicity extends beyond his daily commute. D Murugavel, a court staff member, said the judge preferred to have lunch alongside court staff in the common dining hall instead of the exclusive judges' lounge. "He is every bit the judge while presiding over the court. Otherwise, he interacts with everyone warmly and informally," he said.

A native of Namakkal, the 53-year-old judicial officer has served as a magistrate and in subordinate courts across Salem, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and Pudukkottai, carrying the same modest lifestyle wherever he has been posted.

Even after assuming charge as a District Judge in Coimbatore, colleagues say his promotion has brought no change to his daily routine.

For many at the court complex, his daily routine reflects a quiet commitment to humility.