‘Pay worker before sweat dries’: Madras HC invokes prophet’s teaching to settle lawyer’s dues
Madurai: Invoking the teachings of Prophet Muhammad to emphasise principles of fairness in labour jurisprudence, the Madras High Court has directed the Madurai City Municipal Corporation to settle the unpaid legal fees of a former standing counsel. Justice G.R. Swaminathan, in an order passed on Saturday, referred to the prophetic principle, “pay the worker before his sweat dries”, observing that this tenet is a facet of fairness eminently applicable to service and labour law.
The court was hearing a plea filed by P. Thirumalai, who served as the standing counsel for the Madurai City Municipal Corporation for over 14 years, from 1992 to 2006. Thirumalai contended that the civic body had failed to pay outstanding dues amounting to Rs 13.05 lakh for his representation in approximately 818 cases before the Madurai District Courts. The current petition was filed after the Corporation rejected a substantial part of his claim following a previous court direction to consider his representation.
Addressing the practical difficulties faced by the petitioner, who stated he could not afford to engage a clerk to obtain certified copies of the 818 judgments to substantiate his work, Justice Swaminathan devised a pragmatic solution. The court permitted the former counsel to approach the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) with a list of cases. The DLSA has been directed to procure the certified copies within two months, with the costs to be borne by the corporation and later deducted from the petitioner’s final settlement.
While the court acknowledged the Corporation's stance that fee bills must be in order, it ordered the civic body to settle the dues within two months of receiving the records from the DLSA.
However, citing the petitioner’s 18-year delay in challenging the non-payment, the court ruled that the settlement would be made without interest.
Beyond the specific relief granted to the petitioner, the single-judge bench made strong observations regarding the administration of legal fees and public funds. Justice Swaminathan termed the petitioner’s claim a "pittance" compared to the number of his appearances and expressed concern over the disparity in payments within the legal field. He noted that while "scandalously high amounts" are often paid to certain senior counsels and law officers by government and quasi-government bodies, others struggle to receive basic dues. The court observed that good governance requires public funds to be drawn on a measured basis and not distributed capriciously to a favoured few.
The Judge also flagged the "embarrassment" caused by the high number of Additional Advocate Generals (AAGs) in the state, noting that the appointment of nearly a dozen officers leads to work being allotted unnecessarily. He criticized the frequent practice of government counsel seeking adjournments on the pretext that an engaged AAG is appearing elsewhere. Justice Swaminathan expressed hope that such practices would cease in the Madurai Bench and that the Additional Advocate Generals would "turn a new leaf" from 2026.
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Cybercrime, drug offences rising in Karnataka; CM Siddaramaiah urges strict police action
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday cautioned that cybercrimes and drug-related offences are on the rise in the state and urged the police to take strong and effective measures to curb them.
He also called on the police to make better use of technology to curb such crimes.
The chief minister was speaking at the ‘Karnataka Police Flag Day’ event, attended by Home Minister G Parameshwara and senior Home Department and police officials.
“In the last three years, there has been a decline in major crimes such as murder, robbery, and theft. I compliment the police for this. However, we cannot ignore that in certain crimes we are above the national average. Cybercrimes and drug and narcotics-related offences are on the higher side, and the conviction rate is also low,” Siddaramaiah said.
Addressing police officers and personnel, he said the Karnataka government intends to make the state drug-free and that all necessary measures should be taken in this direction.
“I have stated on several occasions, and I reiterate that criminal offences cannot occur without the knowledge of the police within their station jurisdiction. This must be clearly understood,” he said.
“If police inspectors work efficiently and honestly within their limits, they can prevent several criminal activities,” he added.
Noting that the Constitution guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the law, the chief minister said this principle should always be upheld.
“No one can take the law into their own hands, irrespective of how powerful or influential they are,” he said.
He also urged the police to remain alert and work efficiently in areas where they are lagging in preventing crime and maintaining peace and tranquillity.
Emphasising the use of technology in crime prevention, Siddaramaiah said the police have lagged in this area on several occasions.
“By using technology, the police should prevent crimes, especially cybercrimes and drug and narcotics-related offences, as these are destroying our youth, who are our future. This is very important,” he said, adding that two special task forces have been set up to tackle cybercrime and make the state drug-free.
Warning of action against police personnel who fail to prevent crimes, the CM instructed the Home Minister to hold jurisdictional inspectors accountable if necessary preventive measures are not taken despite repeated warnings.
He added that his government is committed to protecting women, children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable sections of society, and that the police play a crucial role in ensuring their safety.
Acknowledging that police personnel, unlike those in other departments, do not have fixed working hours and often work during festivals and holidays, he said, “A country or a state with good law and order can progress, as it attracts investment, reduces unemployment, and boosts GDP growth. Therefore, along with development, maintaining harmony is equally important.”
Speaking at the event, Parameshwara said the government has taken initiatives to eradicate the drug network in the state and that the CM has announced his intention to make Karnataka “drug-free.”
“In the last three years, drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees have been seized, and strict action has been taken against many accused involved in the racket,” he said.
He noted that cybercrime is on the rise in the country and added that Karnataka has, for the first time, established a Cyber Command Unit and appointed a Director General-rank officer to lead it. Efforts are underway to curb cybercrime by strengthening the unit.
Referring to the Union Home Minister’s recent statement declaring the country Naxal-free, Parameshwara said, “By establishing an Anti-Naxal Force many years ago, Karnataka became the first Naxal-free state in the country.”
He added that modern challenges are evolving daily and stressed the need for continuous training across all levels of the police force.
Lauding the police for maintaining peace, tranquillity, and law and order in the state, the minister said that, according to the India Justice Report, Karnataka ranks first in providing justice to aggrieved parties in the country.
