THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bicentennial celebrations of Thiruvananthapuram District Court commenced on Monday with a grand proclamation rally of the advocates accompanied by brass band and mounted police. The day also saw the birth of a fresh controversy regarding the history of the court. The four-month-long celebrations, titled Legum Fest-2011, have been marred at the threshold itself following a section of advocates coming forward and alleging that the claim of the organisers that the District Court is entering into its 200th year was false. The rise of the rebel group saw the advocates at the District Court split into two camps, resulting in confusion among them. According to the rebel group of advocates, even though the ‘zilla courts’, the first form of the district court, were established in 1811, they could not be considered as courts. The zilla courts were established by the Diwan on the recommendation of Colonel Munro. The only duty of those courts was to enquire into all complaints brought before them, whether civil or criminal, and report the matter to the Diwan, who was the ultimate authority then to pronounce the verdict. Advocate Neelakantan Nair, former president of Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association, who leads the rebel group, said that the organisers of the programme have distorted historical facts to celebrate the 200th anniversary in a haste. ‘’What is more serious is that the organisers have invited people of high importance like the Governor, Chief Minister and High Court Justices to be a part of the epic blunder,’’ said Neelakantan Nair. It took several decades again for advocates to enter the scene and zilla courts to function as real courts, he said. He also said that the protest was not politically motivated as the rebel group comprised of advocates belonging to unions affiliated to different political parties. But the allegations levelled by the rebel group were dismissed as a mere publicity stunt by the organising committee of Legum Fest-2011. ‘’It is clearly mentioned in the Travancore State Manual that the district court was established in 1811, which we just followed,’’ said advocate C K Sitaram, president of Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association. If we had distorted historical facts, the dignitaries who had consented to attend the celebrations would not have accepted our invitation, he added. However, amidst the confusion, the celebrations began on Monday when the Minister for Transport, V S Sivakumar, flagged off the proclamation rally at Gandhi Park. The rally concluded at the District Court complex, where District Judge C Sudheendrakumar hoisted the flag and declared the commencement of the celebrations. Governor R S Gavai will formally inaugurate the Legum Fest-2011 at a function to be presided over by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the court complex on Wednesday at 5.30 pm.
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