If you have been to the High Court of Madras, you would have definitely seen the statue of the great Tamil Chola King Ellalan (Manu Needhi Cholan), who is the epitome of an ideal judge. King Ellalan of Chola dynasty, who ruled from Southern part of India to Sri Lanka, had set up a bell near his court for any person to ring in order to seek justice.

Once, his son Veedhi-Vidangan,ran over a calf with his chariot. The cow, mother of the calf rang the bell to seek justice. The king came out of his courtroom and enquired as to why the cow rang the bell.

It was said to the king that the calf was run over by his son who was riding the chariot. Upon hearing the incident the king rode the chariot on his own son to serve justice to the cow and calf. People who witnessed the incident called this Chola king by the name Manu Needhi Cholan which means that, the Chola king who upheld the justice given by Manu.

Time and again Manu Needhi Cholan is remembered while delivering justice by the judges of this country. One such case where Manu Needhi Cholan is rememberd is that of:
Supreme Court order dismissing a challenge to the elevation of Justice J.S. Khehar as the country's 44th Chief Justice of India in keeping with the convention of seniority. [i]

End-Notes:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/When-Chola-king-was-personification-of-a-perfect-judge/article17113383.ece