Irked over frequent ringing of cell phone in his court hall during working hours, Justice S. Vaidyanathan of the Madras High Court has warned that phones would be seized and not returned unless their owners pay Rs.100 towards rehabilitation of victims of earthquakes that hit Nepal last month.
According to sources in the High Court Registry, the judge, presiding over the Madras High Court Bench here since April 6, got annoyed a couple of days ago when mobile phones of a few litigants kept ringing in the court hall, causing hindrance to the proceedings.
“Some of them had set movie songs as ring tones and it created an unpleasant situation,” a court employee said.
Hence, the judge directed the Registry to paste a notice outside his court hall that those who fail to switch off their phones before entering the hall will have to shell out Rs.100. The court officials added that though there was no general rule on confiscation of mobile phones, it was up to individual judges to control the proceedings.
They pointed out that a lawyer of the High Court had initiated contempt of court proceedings against a Revenue Divisional Officer in 2011 for speaking on her mobile phone in a court hall.
Justice K. Chandru dismissed the contempt petition after observing that the judge concerned would be the ultimate authority to decide the disturbance, if any, caused due to ringing of a mobile phone.
“Carrying a mobile phone inside the court hall or keeping it in a silent mode or looking at short messages received or forwarding messages in reply without disturbing the court proceedings cannot be said to be an obstruction to the course of administration of justice attracting criminal contempt proceedings,” Mr. Justice Chandru had said.
