Installation of Ambedkar's portraits in courts: HC dismisses plea

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition as withdrawn filed for a direction to install the portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar in all court halls of Madras HC, Madurai bench of Madras HC, district and other subordinate courts as well as government offices.

The first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala observed that an order in this regard has already been passed and the litigant cannot file a petition for a settled matter.

The judges made these observations since a Palayamkottai resident S Ayya filed the plea for installing nation's first law minister's photograph.

As the bench warned that the petition would be dismissed with the cost, the litigant sought liberty to withdraw his plea. Therefore, the court dismissed the petition as withdrawn.

The petitioner, in his affidavit, said that permissions were given to display the photos of the President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, MK Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Ambedkar, Tiruvalluvar, Thanthai Periyar, former CMs CN Annadurai, and K Kamaraj. "In many offices, photos of said leaders except Ambedkar have been kept. It is noted that Ambedkar's portraits are wilfully avoided by authorities, " Ayya submitted through his counsel.

He also cited the order of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to erect the portraits of Ambedkar in government offices.