The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Union government to submit its position on a plea seeking a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) bench in Madurai.
The petition was filed as a public interest litigation by Venkatesan, General Secretary of the MBA Lawyers Association. He said CAT cases relating to Central government employees in Tamil Nadu—such as suspension and dismissal—are currently handled in Chennai, causing difficulties for employees from southern districts.
According to the petitioner, travelling to Chennai leads to added expense and loss of time. He argued that since a High Court bench functions in Madurai to serve the southern districts, a CAT bench in Madurai would similarly improve access to justice.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice C.V. Karthikeyan directed the Union Law Secretary and the CAT Chairman to file a reply affidavit stating a clear stand on the proposal by October 16.
