Justice Prakash who penned remarkable judgments attains superannuation

CHENNAI: Justice PN Prakash who was well known for his several remarkable judgments in the Madras High Court on Wednesday attained retirement.

In a farewell event organised by the HC, the outgoing judge said that he would work for the rehabilitation of the prisoners.

"I did not become a judge in a country like Ukraine where judges are forced to carry arms to defend their country. I did not become a judge in a failed state like Pakistan where my hero Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary had to fight Musharraf every other day," Justice Prakash said.

He added that he was proud to become a judge in India which has a constitution surviving from 1950 to till date, drafted by Dr. BR Ambedkar and his glorious team.

"People of India have protected this constitution. If this constitution was not here, I could not have emerged as a judge in the country," the judge asserted.

He further said that he was a lawyer and evolved as a judge and he would explore more areas after his retirement. "I would train the downtrodden students to take up the competitive exams," the judge said in his farewell speech.

Justice Prakash praised the companion judges, advocates, registry, and HC staffers for extending their support to him.

While delivering his address, the Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram lauded the outgoing judge saying that the latter has disposed of approximately 69000 cases in nine years. "The chartered court would lose one of its expert judges in the criminal area," the AG noted.

It is noted that the judge enrolled as an advocate in 1984 and he was elevated to the post of additional judge of Madras HC in 2013 and he was made permanent in 2015.