Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Urges PM Modi to Establish Supreme Court Bench in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider establishing a bench of the Supreme Court of India in Chennai, reviving a proposal that has been pending since 1980.

The state government has long argued that the absence of a apex court bench in the southern region places an undue burden on litigants who must travel to New Delhi to pursue legal remedies. This geographical constraint has been cited as a primary impediment to access to justice for citizens across Tamil Nadu and neighboring southern states.

The plea to decentralize Supreme Court benches reflects broader concerns about the centralization of India's judicial infrastructure. Proponents contend that establishing regional benches would reduce litigation costs, minimize travel expenses, and accelerate case disposal by bringing apex-level judicial services closer to litigants in the southern peninsula.

The proposal has garnered support from various quarters, including legal experts and state governments, who view it as essential to strengthening India's judicial accessibility. The central government's response to this longstanding demand remains awaited.