In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Madras High Court declared that lawyers are prohibited from using any prefixes, such as "Lieutenant Colonel," in legal documents including Vakalatnamas and cause lists. This decision, aimed at reinforcing equality among lawyers in judicial proceedings, was handed down by a bench led by Justices S.M. Subramaniam and C. Kumarappan.
The justices stressed that the court views all lawyers equally, irrespective of their past or present titles. This includes former Ministers, current Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, or recipients of prestigious Padma awards. Justice Subramaniam highlighted a past Supreme Court judgment from the 1995 case Balaji Raghavan vs Union of India, which declared that national honors like the Bharat Ratna and Padma awards are not to be used as titles or suffixes. Violations of this ruling could lead to the revocation of these honors.
Additionally, the Ministry of Defence has issued directives stating that certain retired officers are not entitled to use their military titles in civilian practices. The Madras High Court's ruling is in line with these guidelines, making it clear that such prefixes are not to appear in any court filings or cause lists.
This decision underscores the principle that in the eyes of the law, every lawyer stands on equal footing, free from the weight of titles and honors. It is a move that reaffirms the core value of equality in the judicial system, ensuring that justice is blind to status and rank.
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