Tamil Nadu Advocate General P.S. Raman has declined to grant consent to initiate criminal contempt of court proceedings against retired Madras High Court judge D. Hariparanthaman over comments made about Justice G.R. Swaminathan.
The request arose from remarks made in two Tamil interviews published on YouTube on December 4 and 6, 2025, following an order passed by Justice Swaminathan in connection with the Thirupparankundram Karthigai Deepam issue. The applicant, Srirangam-based temple activist Rangarajan Narasimhan, submitted transcripts and links to the interviews while seeking consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
In his order, the Advocate General said he did not concur with or approve of the views expressed by the retired judge. However, he chose to desist from granting consent, referring to the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression and the right of criticism, and noting that the comments were made by a retired High Court judge.
Mr. Raman said that when former holders of constitutional posts are accused of criminal contempt for public statements about the judiciary or a judge, greater care is required from the sanctioning authority. He also stated that while such eminent persons should be restrained in commenting on the judiciary, the issue must be viewed in the context of free speech.
The Advocate General left it open to the applicant to move the Madras High Court directly, as permitted under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
