the justice party, officially the south indian liberal federation, was a political party in the madras presidency of british india. it was established in 1917 by t. m. nair and p. theagaraya chetty as a result of a series of non-brahmin conferences and meetings in the presidency. communal division between brahmins and non-brahmins began in the presidency during the late-19th and early-20th century, mainly due to caste prejudices and disproportionate brahminical representation in government jobs.