The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has expunged controversial remarks made against senior counsel P Wilson from a previous court order, following a series of controversies surrounding the case. The decision was made by a division bench comprising Justice R Subramanian and Justice L Victoria Gowri after hearing an appeal from the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
During the hearing, senior counsel S Prabakaran, representing the appellant, submitted a formal memo requesting the court to remove the remarks made against Wilson during last month’s appeal hearing. He clarified that Wilson had no intention of disrespecting the court or seeking the recusal of the bench from the case. Instead, Wilson was performing his duty as a lawyer by presenting his client’s case before the court.
In response, the division bench accepted the submission and recalled the earlier order, expunging the controversial portions of the remarks.
Additionally, Prabakaran raised concerns about an edited video of the court proceedings being circulated on social media, with an apparent motive to defame senior counsel Wilson. He claimed that unknown individuals recorded the proceedings via video conference and manipulated the footage to spread misinformation.
Prabakaran sought the court’s intervention to have the video removed from all social media platforms. The bench noted that a formal complaint had already been registered and forwarded to the cybercrime police, who are investigating the issue.
The issue has garnered attention from the legal fraternity, with several advocate associations and the Bar Council of India writing to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. These bodies have requested that appropriate measures be taken to ensure respectful treatment of advocates during court proceedings, reflecting the dignity of the legal profession.
The expunging of remarks marks an important moment in addressing the concerns
