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Court Language Issue: 12 Lawyers on Indefinite Fast Arrested in TN

Twelve lawyers who were observing an indefinite fast in the Madras High Court and in its Madurai branch demanding official language status to Tamil have been taken into custody after their protest was declared illegal by the court, said media reports.

Police said that seven lawyers in Chennai and five in Madurai were arrested late last night on a complaint from the high court Registrar, reports said.

The move came after the court declared agitation as ‘illegal’ and a meeting of the full court instructed the Registry to take proper actions to have the fasting advocates removed from the court premises.

According to release by Registrar-Administration in Chennai, the group of lawyers in Madurai had been on fast since June 9 despite senior judges asking them not to take the step, and a few lawyers in Chennai also began a fast on June 17 for the same purpose, said reports.

A meeting of the Administrative Committee held on June 17 unanimously resolved that the stir was illegal and the striking lawyers should vacate the court campus. This view was endorsed by the full court on Friday, the release said.

Reports said that seven lawyers arrested in Chennai were produced before a Magistrate and remanded to judicial custody till July 2, while five other advocates fasting in Madurai have been hospitalized.

A report from Madurai quoting Superintendent of Police (Rural) Manohar said that police entered the court premises and evacuated the agitating lawyers following a complaint from the Registrar.

“We got specific information that some extremists elements could create problem within the court premises that is why action has been taken,” a senior court official was quoted as saying.

The advocates raised slogans against the police when they entered the court, said reports.

(Based on internet reports)

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