Stalin writes to Modi, places 3 demands, including Tamil as official language

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India NV Ramana regarding the appointment of judges, setting up of Supreme Court branches, and declaration of Tamil as an official language.

The press release stated, "I placed these three demands in my speech in the said function at the Madras High Court premises in the august presence of the Hon'ble Chief Justice. I remain in the fond hope that these three demands of the people of Tamil Nadu will be considered and implemented by your good selves in the nearest future."

Demands made by MK Stalin:

• The appointment of judges, setting up of Supreme Court branches and declaration of Tamil as the official language are the demands made by the Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday.

• He requested that to take appropriate steps to establish permanent regional branches of the Supreme Court in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, apart from the Constitution Bench in New Delhi, so that the citizens in other parts of this vast country have equal access to the Supreme Court.

• Stalin has also addressed the importance of cooperative federalism and the official language of the High Courts. He pointed out that, four High Courts -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar --have Hindi as the official language in addition to English. In this regard, MK Stalin informed that Tamil Nadu has taken several initiatives to bring out standard books on Law in Tamil and as a language that is both classical and a vibrant modern language it would be perfectly suitable to be used in the High Court.

• He also demanded to take steps to declare Tamil, the official language of the High Court of Judicature of Madras and its Bench at Madurai, in addition to English.