Madras High Court Chief Justice Has Assured Status Quo On Displaying Ambedkar Portraits In Courts: Tamil Nadu Govt

Madras High Court Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala has assured Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Raghupathy that the status quo will be maintained in the court premises in respect of the portraits of BR Ambedkar, the state government said. 

In a circular issued on July 7, the Registrar General (in charge) of Madras High Court had informed the District Judiciary that as per the resolution of the Full Court of Madras High Court, henceforth, except the statutes and portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Saint Thiruvalluvar, no other portraits and pictures shall be displayed anywhere inside the court premises.

This circular was met with criticism across the country with people calling the removal of portraits of BR Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution, as disheartening and shameful. The Madras High Court advocates had also protested against the circular and demanded its withdrawal.  

According to a press release issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations, the state law minister met with the Chief Justice on the instructions of the Chief Minister MK Stalin, and communicated the Government's stand that Dr. Ambedkar's portraits be not removed from the court halls in the state. The Chief Justice then reportedly assured the Law Minister that no such order for the removal of portraits was made.

The Press Release further said that the Chief Justice's assurance was communicated to various advocate associations. 

Click here for the Press Release in Tamil