W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 13.08.2026 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.DILIP KUMAR W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 Gandhi ... Petitioner vs. 1. Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, Represented by the Secretary, Room No.124 to 128, B Block, First Floor, New Additional Building Complex, Mathura Road, Near Supreme Court Metro Station, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi – 110 001. 2. High Court Legal Services Committee, Represented by the Officer-In-Charge/ Registrar Judicial, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Melur Main Road, Ulaganeri, Madurai 625. 3. Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority, Represented by the Member Secretary, North Fort Road, High Court Campus, Chennai-600104. 1/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 4. State of Tamil Nadu, Represented By, The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Prison-Iv) Department, State Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 00. 5. The Director General of Police/ Director of Prisons and Correctional Services, C.M.D.A. Towers II, No.1, Gandhi Irvin Road, Egmore, Chennai. 6. The Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Trichy Range, Race Course Road, Kozhipannai Salai (Near Srm Hotel), Trichy - 620 023. 7. The Superintendent of Prison, Trichy Central Prison, Trichy District. 8. The Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, District Court Buildings, Tiruvarur- 610 001. ... Respondents PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondents No.1 to 7 to provide effective legal aid assistance to the Petitioner by name Gandhi S/o Dhanapal (PID No. 36427) now confining as convict prisoner in Central Prison, 2/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 Tiruchirappalli, including obtaining certified copies of necessary documents with translations and appoint competent legal aid counsel to file appeal before the Honble Supreme Court of India against the judgment rendered by this Honble Court in Crl.A. (MD). No. 272 of 2017 and consequently direct the Respondent No.7 and 8 to provide legal aid assistance including obtaining certified copies of necessary documents and appoint competent legal aid counsel to file appeal before the Hon'ble High Court of Madras against the judgment rendered in S.C.No.56 of 2015 by the learned Assistant Sessions Court, Thiruvarur in accordance with law within the time stipulated by this Court. For Petitioner : Dr.R.Alagumani For Respondents : Mr.D.Sivaraman (R2, R3, R8) : Mr.Mohan Kumar Additional Government Pleader (R4) : Mr.I.Murugesan (R5 to R7) Counsel for State O R D E R (Order of the Court was made by M.DHANDAPANI, J.) This Writ Petition has been filed for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 7 to provide effective legal aid assistance to the Petitioner by name Gandhi S/o Dhanapal (PID No. 36427) now confining as convict prisoner in Central Prison, Tiruchirappalli, including 3/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 obtaining certified copies of necessary documents with translations and appoint competent legal aid counsel to file appeal before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India against the judgment rendered by this Court in Crl.A. (MD). No. 272 of 2017 and consequently direct the respondents 7 and 8 to provide legal aid assistance including obtaining certified copies of necessary documents and appoint competent legal aid counsel to file appeal before the Hon'ble High Court of Madras against the judgment rendered in S.C.No.56 of 2015 by the learned Assistant Sessions Court, Thiruvarur in accordance with law within the time stipulated by this Court. 2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is a person without sufficient financial means. He was implicated in Crime No.494 of 2007 for the offence punishable under Sections 364 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code. After completion of investigation, a final report was filed in C.C. No.403 of 2008 on the file of the learned Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court No.1), Thanjavur, and the same was ended in conviction. Aggrieved by the said conviction, the petitioner preferred Criminal Appeal (MD) No.272 of 2017 before this Court. By judgment dated 24.04.2019, this Court 4/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 confirmed the conviction. Thereafter, the petitioner proposes to challenge the said judgment before the Hon’ble Supreme Court and requires legal assistance for effectively conducting the proceedings. Hence, the present writ petition has been filed seeking appropriate legal assistance. 3. The learned counsel appearing for the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority would submit that, pursuant to the application submitted by the petitioner, in R.No.832 of 2026, the Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority, has forwarded a communication to the Secretary, Hon'ble Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, requesting for appointment of counsel to effectively represent the petitioner before the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the proposed proceedings challenging the judgment passed by this Court in Criminal Appeal (MD) No.272 of 2017. 4. At this juncture, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would further submit that appropriate legal assistance may also be provided to the petitioner for filing an appeal before this Court against S.C. No.56 of 2015 on the file of the Principal District Judge, Tiruvarur. 5. In response, the learned counsel appearing for the Tamil Nadu 5/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 State Legal Services Authority would submit that the Secretary, High Court Legal Services Committee, Madurai, has already forwarded a communication dated 12.08.2026 to the Principal Secretary, High Court Legal Services Committee, Chennai, requesting necessary action for providing legal assistance to the petitioner in respect of the proceedings arising out of the conviction in S.C.No.56 of 2015. 6. In view of the above subsequent developments and the steps already taken by the Legal Services Authorities, no further direction is necessary in the present writ petition. 7. Accordingly, the writ petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs. [M.D.I.,J.] & [N.D.K.,J.] 13.08.2026 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes PKN To 6/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 1. The Secretary, Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, Room No.124 to 128, B Block, First Floor, New Additional Building Complex, Mathura Road, Near Supreme Court Metro Station, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi – 110 001. 2. High Court Legal Services Committee, Represented by the Officer-In-Charge/ Registrar Judicial, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Melur Main Road, Ulaganeri, Madurai 625. 3. Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority, Represented by the Member Secretary, North Fort Road, High Court Campus, Chennai-600104. 4. State of Tamil Nadu, Represented By, The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Prison-Iv) Department, State Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 00. 5. The Director General of Police/ Director of Prisons and Correctional Services, C.M.D.A. Towers II, No.1, Gandhi Irvin Road, Egmore, Chennai. 6. The Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, 7/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 Trichy Range, Race Course Road, Kozhipannai Salai (Near Srm Hotel), Trichy - 620 023. 7. The Superintendent of Prison, Trichy Central Prison, Trichy District. 8. The Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, District Court Buildings, Tiruvarur- 610 001. 8/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 M.DHANDAPANI , J. and N.DILIP KUMAR, J. PKN W.P(MD)No.22968 of 2026 13.08.2026 9/9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis