ADVOCATE R. KARUNANIDHI, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court

Advocate R. Karunanidhi’s Guidance Leads to Positive Results in a Pro Bono Initiative Advocate R. Karunanidhi guided his junior, Mr. M. Vinoth, who is working on a Pro Bono project. Acting on his guidance, Mr. Vinoth took up the issue of a newly constructed public library building at Melmuga Marakudi Street, Kallidaikurichi, which had remained closed and non-functional for approximately six months after its inauguration. The Initial Problem: The public library building, constructed at a cost of ₹22,00,000 under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Fund, remained unused due to the lack of adequate space, essential facilities, furniture, library staff, and reading materials. This caused considerable hardship to students, competitive examination aspirants, and local residents. Mr. Vinoth’s Pro Bono Intervention: Under the guidance of Advocate R. Karunanidhi, Mr. M. Vinoth, Advocate, submitted a detailed legal representation to the concerned authorities on Septe...

I conducted an awareness session on the POSH Act, 2013, for workers at the IDEAS Centre. More than 50 participants attended the session, during which I discussed workplace sexual harassment, the legal safeguards available to women, and the mechanisms for complaint redressal. It was held on 24.10.2026 at Madurai. The POSH Act, 2013: From Vishaka Guidelines to Workplace Justice Good morning to everyone. Today, I am going to speak about the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, popularly known as the POSH Act. This legislation is one of the most significant legal developments in the field of women's rights and workplace protection in India. To understand its importance, we must begin with the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, delivered in 1997. 1. The Background: The Bhanwari Devi Case The origins of the Vishaka judgment can be traced to the tragic experience of Bhanwari Devi, a...

Advocate R. Karunanidhi has argued for the Petitioner as a Counsel in this case. Madurai: Youth loses Assam Rifles job over fake case, Madras HC seeks action on cop The case under NDPS Act cost petitioner job with Assam Rifles Gokul Vannan Updated:17th Oct, 2026 at 7:14 AM MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Commissioner of Police, Madurai City, to initiate legal action against an investigating officer who foisted a false case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, on an archer and graduate. The case cost him a job with the Assam Rifles, even though he had received a call from its Director General. “The act of the investigating officer is nothing but falsification of public record before the Court of law,” observed Justice P Murugan, directing the Commissioner to file an action taken report within three months. The court also quashed the FIR against the petitioner, Sivaganesh. The SS Colony police, Madurai, had re...

Virudhunagar Firework Factory Tragedy: Madras High Court Raises Concerns On Recurring Accidents, Asks State To File Report On Prevention Upasana Sajeev. https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/madras-high-court/madras-high-court-virudhunagar-fire-accident-suggestions-to-prevent-report-531247 22 Apr 2026 10:44 AM The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday (21 April) raised concerns about recurring fire accidents in the State and asked the government to file a report suggesting measures to prevent accidents at fireworks units. The direction was made by a bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice M Jothiraman in light of the recent fire tragedy that took place in the Virudhanagar district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday (19 April), where an explosion in a fireworks factory claimed 23 lives. (3 mins read Advocate R Karunanidhi had made a mention before the bench requesting it to take suo motu cognisance of the incident and issue immediate directions to the State. Karunanidhi submitt...

Different Faiths Can Co-Exist, Mere Law & Order Apprehension No Ground To Stop Church Near Temple: Madras High Court Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 429 Case No: WP (MD) No 14181 of 2021 Different Faiths Can Co-Exist, Mere Law & Order Apprehension No Ground To Stop Church Near Temple: Madras High Court Upasana Sajeev 7 Sept 2026 12:39 PM The Madras High Court recently refused to interfere with the construction of a Christian Church near a Hindu Temple. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 429] The bench of Justice M Dhandapani and Justice N Dilip Kumar noted that the apprehension of law and order expressed by the petitioner could not be a ground to interfere with the Collector's order allowing the construction, especially when the field inspection by the appropriate authorities had not disclosed any disputes. Also Read - Human Faeces Found In School's Water Tank: Madras High Court Calls For Status Report By State The court thus observed that the peaceful existence...

Advocate R. Karunanidhi has appeared for the Complainant/ Victim in this Criminal Appeal. Proposed Accused Has No Locus Standi At Pre-Cognizance Stage To Challenge Order Passed By Special Court Under SC/ST Act: Madras High Court https://www.verdictum.in/madras-high-court/ckanmani-v-the-state-of-tamil-nadu-proposed-accused-locus-standi-scst-act-1623881 The Madras High Court has held that a proposed accused, at the pre-cognisance stage, has no right of audience and he has no locus standi to challenge the order passed by the Special Court under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act [SC/ST Act] . The Appeals before the High Court were filed challenging the orders directing the Station House Officer, Puliyangudi, to register a First Information Report and to register the case with reference to the allegations levelled in the complaint as well as the subsequent order passed by the Principal District Judge, Tenkasi, declining to modify the orders in other criminal petitions....

Moot question: Whether the rejection of candidature solely on the ground of a minor discrepancy in the duration of experience mentioned in the online application and the experience certificate is justified ? Para No. 8 of the Order : The mistake committed by the petitioner, while mentioning the duration of experience, is trivial in nature and the same does not in any manner impact the candidature of the petitioner for the post of Rehabilitation Counsellor... The action of the third respondent in rejecting the candidature of the petitioner solely on the ground of discrepancy in the duration of the experience... appears to be a hypertechnical, thereby frustrating the entire recruitment process Decision: The Honourable Court allowed the writ petition, holding that: 1. The rejection of candidature on such a trivial ground was hypertechnical and arbitrary. 2. The genuineness of the experience certificate was not disputed. 3. The petitioner was the only candidate who appeared for phys...

The Madras High Court has directed an investigation into the complaints made by a Senior Warden alleging violence suffered by him due to some disciplinary action taken against ragging. Terming the order of the Magistrate rejecting the demand for further investigation as cryptic, the Bench set aside the same. The High Court was considering a Criminal Revision Petition filed under Section 438 read with Section 442 of BNSS, to set aside the order passed by the Judicial Magistrate Court and direct further investigation. The de facto complainant raised the concern that a criminal investigation, born out of a serious incident inside a medical college hostel campus, was brought to a premature burial under the caption “undetected”, without exhausting the avenues of investigation which the facts of the case reasonably demanded. The Single Bench of Justice L. Victoria Gowri held, “The impugned order does not indicate that the learned Magistrate independently considered the specific objections ...

Advocate R.Karunanidhi from Madurai filed a public interest litigation petition in the High Court stating that a dedicated calendar for the judiciary had not been printed to date. ​Currently, the Tamil Nadu state government supplies calendars featuring photos of the Chief Minister, which are used across all courts, including the High Court. These calendars do not mark court holidays or judicial schedules. The advocate argued that the judiciary is an independent body that should remain free from political influence, and that publishing calendars with photos of political leaders should be stopped in favor of an exclusive judicial calendar. ​Court Order/Verdict: Hearing the petition, Chief Justice Iqbal and Justice T. Sivagnanam ordered that appropriate steps be taken to issue a dedicated calendar for the judiciary starting from the year 2011, subsequently disposed the case.

Gist: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court held that the power under Section 391 Cr.P.C. to receive additional evidence at the appellate stage is intended to prevent failure of justice and must be exercised whenever such evidence is necessary for a just decision of the case. Observing that departmental records may possess evidentiary value in determining the role and culpability of the accused, the Court set aside the order of the appellate Court rejecting the petition under Section 391 Cr.P.C. and directed the appellate Court to receive the additional evidence and dispose of the appeal in accordance with law.

Journey for Justice: A Collective Effort that Reclaimed School Land A legal battle does not end within the pages of books. It reaches completion only when it steps into the field and resonates as the voice of an ordinary citizen. In my legal career, this Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which I pursued on behalf of Mr. Balasubramaniam, gave me immense satisfaction both as a lawyer and as a human being. Challenges Faced: The land belonging to a government school had been encroached upon, and houses had been constructed around it. In such a situation, Mr. Balasubramaniam remained firmly determined to reclaim the land. His strong commitment to public interest became a great source of inspiration for me as well. I appeared on his behalf and conducted the case. Strength of the Legal Battle: While arguing the case before the High Court, gathering proper documents and legally establishing the boundaries of the school property posed significant challenges. However, we firmly placed befor...

நீதிக்கான பயணம்: பள்ளி நிலத்தை மீட்டெடுத்த ஒரு கூட்டு முயற்சி! சட்டப் போராட்டம் என்பது எப்போதும் புத்தகங்களில் மட்டும் முடிந்துவிடுவதில்லை. அது களத்தில் இறங்கி, ஒரு சாமானிய மனிதரின் குரலாக ஒலிக்கும்போதுதான் முழுமை பெறுகிறது. எனது சட்ட வாழ்க்கையில், திரு. பாலசுப்ரமணியம் அவர்களுக்காக நான் முன்னெடுத்த இந்த பொதுநல வழக்கு (PIL), எனக்கு ஒரு வழக்கறிஞராகவும், மனிதனாகவும் மிகப்பெரிய ஆத்ம திருப்தியைத் தந்தது. எதிர்கொண்ட சவால்கள்: அரசுப் பள்ளியின் நிலம் ஆக்கிரமிக்கப்பட்டு, அதைச் சுற்றி வீடுகள் கட்டப்பட்டிருந்த சூழலில், அந்த நிலத்தை மீட்டெடுக்க வேண்டும் என்பதில் திரு. பாலசுப்ரமணியம் அவர்கள் மிகவும் உறுதியாக இருந்தார். ஒரு பொதுநலனை முன்வைத்து அவர் காட்டிய அந்த உறுதி, எனக்கும் மிகப்பெரிய உத்வேகத்தைக் கொடுத்தது. அவருக்காக நான் ஆஜராகி, அந்த வழக்கை நடத்தினேன். சட்டப் போராட்டத்தின் பலம்: உயர்நீதிமன்றத்தில் இந்த வழக்கை வாதாடியபோது, ஆவணங்களைச் சரியாகத் திரட்டுவதும், பள்ளியின் எல்லைகளைச் சட்டப்பூர்வமாக நிரூபிப்பதும் மிகப்பெரிய சவாலாக இருந்தது. ஆனால், 'கல்விக்கூடம் என்பது அடுத்த தலைமுறையின் சொத...

Section 35 BNSS Does Not Empower Police To Summon Or Question A Person Without Registering Case: Madras HC Quashes Notice Issued To Journalist The petitioner approached the Madras High Court seeking quashing of the impugned notice issued by the Deputy Superintendent of Police under Section 35(3) of BNS, 2023. ByTulip Kanth|12 Jan 2026 6:30 PM Section 35 BNSS Does Not Empower Police To Summon Or Question A Person Without Registering Case: Madras HC Quashes Notice Issued To Journalist Justice Sunder Mohan, Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) While quashing a notice of the police summoning a man for his alleged defamatory statements made in a journal, the Madras High Court has held that section 35(1)(b) of the BNSS only specifies the circumstances under which a Police Officer may arrest a person without a warrant and does not empower the Officials to summon or question the person in the absence of any case registered against him. The petitioner approached the High Court seeking quashing of ...

Advocate R. Karunanidhi has Appeared for the Petitioner in this case. Acquittal Entitles Employee to Full Pay for Suspension Period: Madras HC Directs TANGEDCO to Treat Suspension as Duty Read more: https://lawtrend.in/acquittal-entitles-employee-to-full-pay-for-suspension-period-madras-hc-directs-tangedco-to-treat-suspension-as-duty/ Importance of the Judgment: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court held that mere issuance or pendency of incidental or minor charges during the period of suspension cannot defeat an employee’s right to full service and monetary benefits, when the criminal case forming the basis of suspension ends in acquittal and no punishment ultimately survives. The Court further held that an employee acquitted in a criminal case is entitled to have the entire period of suspension treated as duty with full pay and allowances. Revocation of suspension followed by permission to retire amounts to deemed reinstatement, and the principle of “no work, no pay” ha...

The Madras High Court was considering a Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a direction to the respondent Police Officials to initiate appropriate action in an alleged case of police brutality. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2627303101087907782/5165373426298054538 https://www.verdictum.in/court-updates/high-courts/madras-high-court/thavakannan-v-the-director-general-of-police-allegation-disciplinary-proceedings-fir-custodial-assault-1602585 The Madras High Court has ordered the registration of an FIR against 2 police officers in an alleged case of custodial assault and police brutality. The High Court held that the allegations in the charge in disciplinary proceedings constituted cognizable offences. The High Court was considering a Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a direction to the respondent Police Officials to initiate appropriate legal and criminal action based on the petitioner’s representation regarding the brutal...

Case Background C. Markandan was appointed as Village Thalaiyari in 1983 and promoted as Village Administrative Officer (VAO) in 2016. Due to an erroneous entry Despite this, the Tahsildar, by order dated 09.02.2023, denied him salary and retirement benefits for the period between 01.02.2018 and 18.03.2019 on the ground of Read more: https://lawtrend.in/employee-not-at-fault-cannot-be-denied-salary-under-no-work-no-pay-rule-madras-high-court/ Read more: https://lawtrend.in/employee-not-at-fault-cannot-be-denied-salary-under-no-work-no-pay-rule-madras-high-court/ n W.P.(MD) No.17863 of 2023, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ruled that the principle of ‘no work no pay’ cannot be applied Read more: https://lawtrend.in/employee-not-at-fault-cannot-be-denied-salary-under-no-work-no-pay-rule-madras-high-court/

The Madras High Court, in a recent case hearing, held that it is unlawful to apply the ‘No Work, No Pay’ principle when an employee is not at fault but is prevented from performing office duties. The Madurai bench of the high court ordered the respondents to pay the petitioner (C. Makarand) full retirement benefits and quashed the order passed by the Tahsildar earlier. Brief Background C. Makarand started his service as a Village Thalaiyari of Muthu Nagaiahapuram on March 20, 1983. At the time of joining, he submitted his document, including the date of birth proof. However, in 2015, he realised that his date of birth. It is because his date of birth in the records was January 28, 1958, instead of his actual DoB, which is March 23, 1961. When he applied for correction in the details to authorities, his request was rejected. The reason was that correction is allowed only within five years of joining, and that period has passed. However, in 2015, he received a favourable order from a ...

COMPENSATION UNDER VICARIOUS LIABLITY - SINCE THE JUVENILE BOY DIED FOLLOWING PHYSICAL TORTURE AT ILLEGAL POLICE CUSTODY: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the State to pay a compensation of ₹ 25 lakh to the family members of a 17-year-old boy who died following custodial torture at the hands of S.S. Colony police in Madurai in 2019. Justice P. Dhanabal directed the State to pay the compensation in two months. (M Jeya v The Principal Secretary and Others (2023 Live Law (Mad) 256) The Madras High Court increased the compensation amount in a police custodial death case to 25 lakhs from 5 lakhs after a writ petition was filed by the mother of the deceased seeking just and reasonable compensation of Rs. 50,00,000 (Fifty lakhs) and a government job for her family. The petitioner alleged that her son died due to police custodial torture. A Bench of Justice P. Dhanabal followed a method followed by Motor Accident Claims Tribunal cases to calculate the compensation a...

VISUALLY CHALLENGED PERSON – DIRECTION ISSUED TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AS PER THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ACT,2016. High Court has granted relief to a Police who was discharged from service after acquiring 100% blindness during service and being declared medically unfit for service. High Court allowed the Writ Petition and issued direction to reinstate the Petitioner into service and provide all benefits. (Ganesan Vs The Commandant, Tamil Nadu Special Police – 2025 Live Law (Mad) Page 22). Published and Reported in https://www.verdictum.in/court-updates/high-courts/madras-high-court/ganesan-v-the-commandant-wpmdno26560-of-2024-reinstatement-of-visually-impaired-cop-alternative-employment-1565795. The Madras High Court recently came to the aid of a visually impaired Policeman who was working as a Nayak in the Tamil Nadu Special Police Force by ordering his reinstatement after noting that he had acquired the disability while he was performing his duty. The Writ Petition be...

GOVERNMENT JOB CANNOT BE DENIED BY STATE ON THE GROUND THAT THE PETITIONER HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE PEACEFUL PROTEST DURING COLLEGE DAYS: High Court held that right to protest is fundamental rights and issued direction to the Police Department to grant employment. ( Arunkanth v State of Tamil Nadu (2023 Live Law (Mad) 224)