Assembly resolution asks Centre to rename Madras HC as TN HC

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday adopted a unanimous resolution asking the Centre to rename Madras High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court and not Chennai HC as proposed in a Bill introduced in Parliament last month.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa moved the resolution which was welcomed by the main Opposition DMK, besides other parties, including Congress.

The resolution was adopted unanimously after members spoke on the appropriateness of renaming Madras High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court.

"Naming the High Court of Judicature at Madras as Tamil Nadu High Court will be most appropriate," Jayalalithaa said, moving the resolution.

"This House urges the Union government to alter the name from Chennai HC, proposed in the Bill introduced in Parliament to Tamil Nadu HC," the resolution said, adding "It will be correct to call the High Court as Tamil Nadu High Court which is presently being called as Madras High Court."

Giving reasons for seeking the change, the resolution pointed out that the High Courts situated in other states take the respective names of such states, which were formed on linguistic basis in 1956. It said it would be "inappropriate to call the High Court with jurisdiction over entire Tamil Nadu as Chenani High Court."

The resolution said a HC bench is functioning from Madurai too. "The name of Madras was changed to Chennai through a legislation in 1996 and according to it, Chennai will mean only the city of Chennai," it said.