The High Court of Judicature at Madras, one of the three High Courts in India established at the Presidency Towns by Letters Patent granted by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, bearing date 26th June 1862, is the highest Court in the State of Tamil Nadu, exercising Original Jurisdiction over the City of Madras and Appellate Jurisdiction over the entire State as well as extra-ordinary Original Jurisdiction, Civil and Criminal, under the Letters Patent and Special Original Jurisdiction for the issue of writs under the Constitution of India.
Highest tally in 125 years was crossed in the year 2017 of female judges being appointed to the Madras High Court. They would be sworn in within the court premises. Chief Justice Indira Banerjee administered the oath of office to the judges on December 1, 2017. The appointment of the six judges, all elevated from the subordinate judiciary, takes the number of sitting judges in the Madras high court to 60, against a sanctioned strength of 75. The four new women judges whose names were notified are S Ramathilagam, R Tharani, R Hemalatha and T Krishnavalli, all promoted from subordinate judiciary. The total number of women judges in Madras High Court now rise to highest to 11. The six judges who are sworn in include the following :
- Justice S Ramathilagam
- Justice T Krishnavalli,
- Justice R Tharani,
- Justice R Hemalatha,
- Justice P Rajamanickam and
- Justice R Pongiappan.
