New Delhi: Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu on Monday assured a delegation of lawyers of the Madras high court advocates association (MHAA) that he will look into their representation to recall the list of nine persons recommended for being appointed as judges of the Madras high court.

MHAA president R.C. Paul Kanagaraj and a few other office-bearers met the CJI in his chamber in the Supreme Court and submitted a representation to return the list of nine names, six from the bar and three district judges, sent last week by the Chief Justice of the Madras high court.

Mr Kanagaraj told DC soon after the meeting that the CJI said, “I know the ground reality. I will take care and look into this representation.” The lawyers in Chennai are up in arms and are protesting against the selection of nine names without following transparent procedure.

The MHAA said, “As regards the names recommended from the bar, there are two contentious names who had figured in the earlier list which was returned by the apex court collegium (during the tenure of the then CJI P. Sathasivam). It is not known how the same names have been included in the present list also. Similarly, four names are from dominant communities, which are already over-represented in the MHC. Thus, the list of nine names does not live to the fair and reasonable expectations of the bar as it has not included any name from unrepresented and under-represented communities.”

The association requested the CJI to return the list and advice the high court collegium of judges to have a fresh assessment of the ground situation and to send recommendation for all the 18 vacancies by providing fair and adequate representation to all sections of society.

The president of women lawyers association, Ms V. Nalini, and a few other office-bearers who joined the delegation, urged the CJI to advice the high court collegium to provide for 33 per cent quota for women and recommend six names.