T.C.MATHAI . vs PRINCIPAL DISTT.& SESSIONS JUDGE . — Crl.A. No. 354/1999

The Supreme Court dismissed T.C. Mathai's appeal, holding that a power of attorney holder cannot appear as a pleader in criminal proceedings without explicit court permission, regardless of the authority granted in the power of attorney document. The Court ruled that Section 2(q) of the CrPC requires court approval before any non-advocate can represent a party, as courts must verify the person's capability to assist in administering justice and protect against irresponsible representation. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.