The Madras High Court had refused to extend the Tenure of a Judge who would be conducting a murder trial. The court had stated that there may not be an impediment to the successor-in-office taking over the matter and dealing with the same in accordance with the law.
Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy was hearing this plea that was seeking extension of the tenure of a Judge who was to demit office on May 31. The purpose for this was that a murder trial that is pending before the Judge could be disposed of without the intervention of another Judge.
The Court here observed that, in an extraordinary situation, an extension to the tenure may be granted. Further the Court also observed while seeing the submission of the principal accused that the entire trial was not even conducted by this Judge.
The court further observed and stated that “Taking into consideration the fact that the entire trial was not conducted before this Judge, there may not be any impediment to the successor-in-office if taking over the matter and dealing with the same issues in accordance with law, as expeditiously as possible.”
Thus, the plea was disposed of as per the direction of the registrar of the court to ensure that the vacancy that is created gets filled by next fortnight so that the matter would get concluded by the end of July, 2021.