Madras HC judge conducts hearing over Skype, orders police protection for couple’s wedding

At 8 pm on Sunday, the judge mailed a certified copy of the order directing police to give protection to the couple
Madras HC judge conducts hearing over Skype, orders police protection for couple’s wedding
Madras HC judge conducts hearing over Skype, orders police protection for couple’s wedding
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The Indian judiciary is often berated for the slow pace at which it moves, but if you think judges are not trying hard enough, then think again. Thanks to a combination of reasons like pouring rains, faraway court, caste discrimination, church politics and love, the Madras High Court became perhaps the first HC in the country to hear a petitioner on Skype and email, and issue immediate orders. This after members of the community had allegedly threatened the petitioner for conducting his wedding, pushing him to seek police protection from the court.

On Sunday David Philip Raja of Oodaikal in Ramanathapuram district got married to Arul Viji under tight security at the Adaikalmatha church, thanks to Justices V Ramasubamanian and S Vaidyanathan. But the run-up to his wedding was quite dramatic.

Earlier last week, David and other members of the community had been allegedly threatened by a former priest against conducting the ceremony until he was reinstated. The former priest and four others had been terminated over various allegations including ‘denying’ priesthood to a Dalit theology student. David and his family went to the police, but the response from them was not very encouraging.

Following the threat, on Saturday, David filed an urgent petition before the Madurai bench of Madras High Court asking for protection to conduct his marriage.

It was a rainy Saturday, but Justice Ramasubramanian knew the urgency in the matter. Being the judge-in-charge of administrative affairs, he took the call to have the hearing over Skype and email, and the portfolio judge S Vaidyanathan agree to hear the petition.

The case documents were then scanned and mailed to the judge for his review before hearing the petitioner, and the hearing was conducted over Skype later. At 8 pm on Sunday, the judge mailed a certified copy of the order directing police to give protection to the couple. The judge however ruled that no procession would be allowed outside the church. Advocate Panneerselvam, the petitioner’s counsel, said that the wedding was finally held under the protection of 40 policemen under the supervision of ADSP Velladurai.  

 This is an aggregation from India TodayThe New Indian Express and The Hindu

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