Latest news with #Janarthanam


Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Justice Janarthanam, a quota warrior, is no more
Chennai: Former judge of Madras high court , Justice M S Janarthanam, known for his work on the reservation front and who had studied and recommended a 3% internal reservation for arunthathiyars among the Scheduled Castes, passed away on Friday. He was 89. Justice Janarthanam served in the high court from 1988 to 1998. He was appointed Tamil Nadu Backward Class Commission chairman in 2006 and served in that role until 2015. Chief minister M K Stalin said Justice Janarthanam would be accorded state honours and that he would personally attend the last rites, in recognition of the judge's contribution to social justice. "It was based on his recommendation that reservation was implemented for Muslims, Christians, and arunthathiyars in Tamil Nadu," Stalin said in a condolence message. Justice Janarthanam headed the state commission for backward classes and also was the one-man commission constituted by then chief minister, M Karunanidhi, to study the educational, social, and economic backwardness of the arunthathiyar community, which was part of the Scheduled Caste category. In Aug 2024, a seven-judge bench of Supreme Court, headed by then Chief Justice of India, Justice D Y Chandrachud, upheld the validity of the Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyars Reservation Act, 2009. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo The Tamil Nadu govt had passed the Act based on the recommendation of the commission headed by Justice Janarthanam, providing a 3% internal reservation to the arunthathiyar community within the 18% quota provided for the Scheduled Caste in 2008. The Act brought together seven scheduled castes (SCs) — arunthathiyar, chakkiliyar, madari, madiga, pagadai, thoti, and adi andhra — as arunthathiyars for the sake of reservation on a preferential basis. Justice Janarthanam also served as president of the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. "He was a firm but gentle human being. I have been associated with him since he was a registrar in Madras high court before his elevation as a judge of the court. His demise is a loss to the legal fraternity," advocate-general P S Raman said. Describing him as a shining example of the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said Justice Janarthanam recommended a 10.5% reservation for vanniyars. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said: "The passing of such a figure is a great loss to both the judiciary and democratic movements fighting for social justice." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !


The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Retired judge M.S. Janarthanam passes away at 89
Retired Madras High Court judge and former chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission, Justice M.S. Janarthanam, passed away on Friday (June 6, 2025). He was 89. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the funeral of Justice Janarthanam, who had also served as president of the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, would be held with police honours, in recognition of his contributions to social justice. In his condolence message, Mr. Stalin recalled that Justice Janarthanam served as a judge of the Madras High Court from 1988 to 1998, during which he delivered several landmark judgments. He also served as chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission from 2006 to 2015. 'It was on the basis of his recommendations that reservations were implemented for Muslims, Christians, and Arundhathiyars in Tamil Nadu. He carved a niche for himself in the history of social justice. The demise of Justice M.S. Janarthanam is an irreparable loss to the cause of social justice,' Mr. Stalin said. 'Shining example' In his condolence message, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said that Justice Janarthanam had recommended a 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars, and described him as a shining example of how a chairman of the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission should perform.


The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Justice Janarthanam's moments of glory
Justice M.S. Janarthanam had, at least, experienced a few moments of glory in the last 20-odd years. After the Supreme Court, in July 2010, provided one year to Tamil Nadu to come out with justification along with quantifiable data for the continuance of the 69% reservation for Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC) and Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs), Justice Janarthanam, as the head of the State BC Commission, had authored a report in support of the quota scheme, as provided in the Tamil Nadu Act 45 of 1994. Exactly a year later, the then AIADMK regime, at a Cabinet meeting, adopted the findings of the report and decided that 'there cannot at all be any doubt regards the fixity of reservation of 50 per cent to Backward Classes, 18 per cent to Scheduled Castes and one per cent to Scheduled Tribes.' On the matter of 'creamy layer' among the BC and MBCs, his take was that though the 1994 law had been in existence for well over 17 years, the Lakshman Rekha line had not been crossed, warranting the application of 'creamy layer' exclusion.' This opinion was also accepted by the government. It continues to be in force. Nearly 20 years ago, when the demand was made for creating special reservation for Arunthathiyars within quota of reservation for SCs, the government had turned to Justice Janarthanam to consider it. In November 2008, he, as the head of a committee, submitted a report to the then DMK government that the representation of the Arunthathiyars in Groups A, B and C services under the State 'has been found grotesquely inadequate.' Consequently, a three percent quota came into force. for the Aruthathiyars. This has withstood the test of judicial scrutiny, says G. Santhanam, who served as Secretary of the BC, MBC and Minorities Welfare Department about 15 years ago. In 2012, he gave an opinion to the government for providing a 10.5% quota to Vanniyars within the 20%.. Though this was acted upon by the previous AIADMK regime nine years later, the Supreme Court, in April 2022, quashed the move.


The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Retired judge M.S. Janarthanam passes away at 89 in Chennai
Retired Madras High Court judge and former chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission, Justice M.S. Janarthanam, passed away in Chennai on Friday (June 6, 2025). He was 89. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that the funeral of Justice Janarthanam, who had also served as president of the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, would be held with police honours, in recognition of his contributions to social justice. In his condolence message, Mr. Stalin recalled that Justice Janarthanam served as a judge of the Madras High Court from 1988 to 1998, during which he delivered several landmark judgments. He also served as chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission from 2006 to 2015. 'It was on the basis of his recommendations that reservations were implemented for Muslims, Christians, and Arundhathiyars in Tamil Nadu. He carved a niche for himself in the history of social justice. The demise of Justice M.S. Janarthanam is an irreparable loss to the cause of social justice,' Mr. Stalin said. 'Shining example' In his condolence message, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said that Justice Janarthanam had recommended a 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars, and described him as a shining example of how a chairman of the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission should perform.


The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Retired judge M.S. Janarthanam's funeral to be held with police honours: T.N. CM Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday (June 6, 2025) announced that the funeral of retired Madras High Court judge and former chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission, Justice M.S. Janarthanam, would be held with police honours, in recognition of his contributions to social justice. Justice Janarthanam, who had also served as president of the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, passed away in Chennai on Friday. He was 89. In his condolence message, Mr. Stalin recalled that Justice Janarthanam served as a judge of the Madras High Court from 1988 to 1998, during which he delivered several landmark judgments. He also served as chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission from 2006 to 2015. 'It was on the basis of his recommendations that reservations were implemented for Muslims, Christians, and Arundhathiyars in Tamil Nadu. He carved a niche for himself in the history of social justice. The demise of Justice M.S. Janarthanam is an irreparable loss to the cause of social justice,' Mr. Stalin said. 'Shining example' In his condolence message, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said that Justice Janarthanam had recommended a 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars, and described him as a shining example of how a chairman of the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission should perform.