Thursday, March 8, 2012

Consider Forward Bloc plea for public meet: HC

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday directed the general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Forward Bloc to make an application before the police inspector, Sankarankoil, to hold a public meeting campaigning for its policies. After making such an application, the inspector should consider it and pass order in accordance with law.

Justice K K Sasidharan gave the order following a petition by R Jayachandra Thevar, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Forward Block alleging that the authority had denied permission to his party to hold a public meeting to campaign for its policies. In the petition, his party decided to convene a public meeting at Sankarankoil to canvass for the forthcoming by elections scheduled for March 18.

Initially, when he approached the deputy superintendent of police, Sankarankoil, for permission to conduct the public meeting on January 8, 2012, he granted permission orally. Believing the officer, he arranged for everything such as stage, mike set, flags, banners and wall notices. He also communicated the message to the public. Thevar said while the public was anxious to watch his party's role, all of a sudden the DSP issued an order prohibiting the public meeting. Hence he filed the petition in court.

The petitioner contended that the party had the fundamental right to express his party stand to the public, through a public meeting. It was also planned to ask the public to exercise the option of 49-O in case no suitable political candidate was found.

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