Read Time: 04 minutes

A Madras High Court bench headed by Chief Justices Muneeshwar Nath Bhandari and consisting of Justice  Bharata Chakravarthy while hearing a plea seeking issuance of directions to the Centre and Tamil Nadu Government to take appropriate action for the release of 68 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats from the custody of Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard remarked, “While the government of India has made enough efforts for the release of the prisoners, some more efforts are required to be made so that 68 fishermen may get released at the earliest.”

A plea was filed in the High Court for the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen, who were taken into custody with their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard. Another connected plea had sought direction for the enforcement of Articles 5 and 6 of "Agreement between Srilanka and India on the boundary in Historic Quarters between the two countries and related matters, 26 and 28 June 1974".

The counsel for the petitioners submitted that the efforts through diplomatic channels have to be continued so that 68 fishermen, who were arrested, may be released at the earliest.

Court, on hearing the parties, noted, “Though we find that efforts were made by the Government of India through the diplomatic channels with the assistance of the Government of Tamil Nadu, yet some more efforts are required to be made so that 68 fishermen may get released at the earliest and for that purpose, if there exists an agreement, it can be invoked.”

Court further said that "since the arrest of 68 fishermen affects their respective families, it trusts that the Government of India would make all the efforts for the release of 68 fishermen, who were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard".

Accordingly, Court directed that a copy of the order may be sent to the government of India in order to enable them to take efforts to get all the fishermen released.

Case title: Thirumurugan Vs Union of India