S. Ashok Kumar
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Edwin Prabakar
Bobby Arun
Brindha Ashok Kumar
Justice S. Ashok Kumar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge, Madras High Court | |
| In office 3 April 2003 – 21 March 2008 | |
| Judge, Andhra Pradesh High Court | |
| In office 24 March 2008 – 17 July 2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 July 1947 |
| Died | 25 October 2009 (aged 62) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Spouse | Ebi Ashok Kumar |
| Children | Augustin Baskar Edwin Prabakar Bobby Arun Brindha Ashok Kumar |
Justice S. Ashok Kumar (20 July 1947 – 25 October 2009) was a judge of the Madras High Court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court in India.[1][2][3]
He was born on 20 July 1947 to a teacher couple, the late Mr. S. Santiago and the late Mrs. Saveriammal, in a small village of Tirunelveli district called Thenkalam Pudur which comes under the administration of Thenkalam Panchayat.[2]
Despite hardships, both social and economic, he went on to study 1st form to P.U.C at St. Xavier’s High School and College,[4] Palayamkottai; B.Sc at St. John’s College, Palayamkottai. M.Sc at St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli and Bachelor of Law at Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai.[3] He practiced at Thirunelveli bar council from 1971 to 1987.[3]
During his tenure at the bar he was greatly moved towards the cause of people.[5] This led him to contest twice, unsuccessfully, the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, in 1977 and 1980.[6] He later decided to keep away from active politics and went on to look for ways to help the community through the legal fraternity.
His zeal to serve the downtrodden made him appear in the Justice K. S. Ramamurthy Commission, which was set up on his insistence, investigating the rape of 17 Dalit women in Sankanankulam village, India in 1980-81 on behalf of the victims, fighting for their cause.[7] In fact, he took some of the victims to meet the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi to brief her about the gravity of the situation and ultimately saw to it that justice was done for the victims. After noticing his dedication and commitment towards the society, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru M. G. Ramachandran appointed him to assist Shri Ashoke Kumar Sen in the commission investigating the IMFL Licensing system in 1983-84. He always looked for inspiration towards Shri Sen, a towering personality in stature and knowledge, who held the Office of the Union Law Minister in three cabinets - Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.[7]
Justice Ashok Kumar died on 25 October 2009 at a private hospital after a brief illness.[2]
Judgeship
S. Ashok Kumar was appointed as directly recruited District and Sessions Judge on 16 November 1987. He served as Trainee District Judge, Coimbatore from 1987–1988; subsequently he was posted in the following stations:[3]
- Additional District Judge, Ramnad from June 1988 to May 1989
- Presiding Officer, E. C. Court and Consumer court, Coimbatore from June 1989 to 1991
- Presiding Officer, Additional & Principal Labour Courts, Madras from 1991 to 1994
- Principal District Judge, Dindigul from 1994 to 1995
- Principal District Judge, Thiruvannamalai from 1995 to 1997
- Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal, Madras from 1997 to 2000
- Principal District Judge, Cuddalore from June 2000 to September 2000
- Principal Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai, from October 2000 to April 2002
- Principal District Judge, Krishnagiri from May 2002 till the date of elevation as:
- Judge, Madras High Court on 3 April 2003[8]
- Transferred to Andhra Pradesh High Court and took charge on 24 March 2008[9]
- Retired on 17 July 2009
During his stint at Dindugal, alleged henchmen of the then incumbent government occupied the Kodaikanal International School in the middle of the night thereby evicting all the resident students from their boarding quarters. His timely intervention restored the school back to the school authorities. This seemed to have enraged the then incumbent government who immediately transferred him to Thiruvannamalai.[5]