Pondicherry Bar Association (PBA) has urged the Madras high court chief justice to extend regional representation for Puducherry advocates in the elevation as judges of the high court.

PBA president S Mouttouvel, in a representation addressed to the Madras high court chief justice, cited a Supreme Court's observation and Union law minister Ravi Sankar Prasad's view in favour of regional representation.

He said only advocate, K K Sasidharan, from Puducherry, who practised in district courts of Puducherry and at Madras high court, was elevated as the judge of the Madras high court in 2007.

Mouttouvel said after the Madras high court set up a bench at Madurai in 2004, seven advocates, who practised at Madurai district and sub-ordinate courts were elevated as judges.

"Similarly, the advocates of Pondicherry district court are practising at the sub-ordinate courts and also the Madras high court. Till date no regional representation has been given to our advocates," he said.

The collegium of the Madras high court has earlier taken into consideration the concept of regional representation for Puducherry.

PBA also registered its strong objection to the elevation of advocates, who have no lineage to Puducherry, as judges under regional representation for the Union Territory.

“Just because a person holds the post of law officer in the office of the government pleader cum public prosecutor for Pondicherry at Madras, he or she should not be considered for the regional representation of Puducherry," Mouttouvel added.

PBA was formed in 1964 with D Gopalasamy as its first president. However, the association was not registered then. The association was registered in 1992 and was recognized by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Presently, more than 1,000 members have enrolled in the association.