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Court noted that there is currently no legal provision that imposes such a restriction
In a recent decision, the Madras High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought to restrict the number of advocates appearing for or accompanying VIPs and VVIPs in subordinate courts.
The petitioner, Advocate N. Mahendra Babu, argued that the presence of numerous lawyers accompanying high-profile individuals in court disrupted proceedings and caused inconvenience to other advocates and litigants. He had previously submitted a representation to the Registrar General of the High Court in July 2023, requesting rules to limit the number of advocates present in court with these individuals.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice K.R. Shriram and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, noted that there is currently no legal provision that imposes such a restriction.
Consequently, the bench concluded that the Registrar General was not legally obligated to enact such rules, and therefore, the petitioner could not be granted the writ of mandamus he sought.
The court observed that the petitioner's concern, while relevant to court decorum and efficiency, did not meet the threshold for judicial intervention.
The bench emphasized that imposing a legal restriction on the number of advocates or individuals accompanying litigants, including VIPs and VVIPs, in courtrooms would require legislative action rather than a judicial mandate. Accordingly, the petition was dismissed without costs, closing any related motions in the matter.
Case Title: N. Mahendra Babu Vs The Registrar General, High Court And Others
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