Erudition and wit

 Only six months later, when I wrapped myself in a black gown, did I fully realise that I was joining a community of enlightened men, the bar and bench, who had stood up to the highest expectations of an independent judiciary.

Looking back, I cannot but express my joy that I had walked along the corridors treaded by great lawyers of excellence and chairs of noble and eminent judges and I dare not compare myself with them. In celebrating 150 years, we do so only by taking into account Queen Victoria’s Letters Patent dated 26.6.1862, establishing High Court of Judicature at Madras. But the administration of justice in the State actually goes back to 31.12.1600 when the earliest charter was issued by Queen Elizabeth I followed by several charters establishing differing courts of Madras.  August 15 is a historical date of coincidence when the high court was formally declared open in 1862, a day when India became Independent 85 years later.

The present buildings, after construction was inaugurated on 12.7.1892. As against the original estimate of Rs.9,45,000/ as it was completed at revised cost of Rs.12,98,163/. Accepting the keys from Barron Wenlock, the Governor, Chief Justice Arthur Collins made the following historic speech.

It is not the magnificence of the building which really makes the high court what it is. In the words of Dr.P.V. Rajamannar, the first Indian chief justice, Madras High Court was most aptly described. “What are the special traditions of the Madras High Court which have been built up during the last hundred years? To my mind they are the following: Legal erudition and acumen of a very high order, remarkable intellectual subtlety, and an extensive and exhaustive knowledge of case law not only Indian but also foreign....”

List of eminent Judges and lawyers, English and Indian, who were associated with this high court will reflect its greatness. Chief justice Cutts Trotter, and the first Indian chief justice Dr.P.V. Rajamannar are examples of legendary and classic jurists.

The Madras Bar had produced giants of international repute, Eardley Norton, Nugent Grant, V.L. Ethiraj, Alladi Krishnasamy Iyer and T. Viswanatha Shastri, to name just a few. The last two dominated the Supreme Court bar during their days.

Of recent past, I had the privilege of watching and hearing the eloquence of giants like V. Rajagopalachari, V.K. Thiruvenkadachari, V.T. Rangasamy, R. Kesava Iyanger, M.K. Nambiar, Mohan Kumaramangalam, T. Chengalvarayan, S. Govindswaminathan and V.P. Raman. My senior K. Parasaran and K.K. Venugopal still adorn the bar. The Madras Bar Association held its first meeting on March 14, 1865. In 1882, the Vakils’ Association was formed and in 1889, the Madras Vakils Association was formed which is now transformed as ‘Madras High Court Advocates Association’.

Libraries of both Associations are well equipped, mostly contributed by the members.