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Showing posts from November, 2013

Courts, the last bastion of the good ol’ typewriter

Subramaniam is one among the 200-odd typists who have been churning out instant documents at the Madras High Court campus, for decades together   Chennai: Call it ‘mechanical’ dispensation of justice if you may, but the humble typewriter, a device of the last century perceived to have gone extinct in recent times, is vital to the functioning of the litany of the city’s courts. In fact, the clang of the typewriter is an indicator that most of its needs, especially those relating to documentation, are being served. Want to get an affidavit typed or a statement composed in a jiffy? A large number of typists here would do it, with devices that are at the minimum 15-20 years old. Talk about giving a touch of antiquity to your work. The Law-Chamber of the Madras High Court is one such place that has an intrinsic link with the typewriter. Abuzz with activity right through the day, its expansive corridors over its three floors accommodate no less than 60-odd ‘verandah’ (d