The Madras high court has pulled up government advocates for voluntarily taking notice for autonomous bodies such as co-operative societies and panchayats. The court has directed the commissioner of sugars, registrar of co-operative societies and director of town panchayats to issue circulars to all societies and panchayats that the choice of appointing the counsel is their own and the government pleaders, looking after the government departments, cannot be asked to appear for them.
Justice K. Chandru said the court received several complaints enclosing copies of letters by government counsels to various societies. As soon as a case against a cooperative society comes for admission, they attempt to take notice on behalf of the societies. They then write to the autonomous bodies as if the court had directed them to take notice on behalf of the bodies.
“These instances, which are in the increase, shows the ugly practice of brief soliciting by government counsels and it should be nipped in the bud. If they feel that the fees paid by the government is not adequate, they should seek for revision,” the judge said.