The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered notice to Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Vijayakant on a petition seeking an enquiry into his remark during a press interview at Villupuram on March 24 and to withdraw the registration of his party under the Representation of People Act.
The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, said that the notice would be returnable in four weeks.
In his petition, T.S. Rajan of Ashok Nagar here, quoting a report in a Tamil daily, stated that Mr.Vijayakant, in response to a question “as to what his strategy in the election was, replied implying that even the Indian Army did not have a strategy when it fought the Kargil war and other wars with Pakistan.”
Thus, he cast aspersions on the armed forces. He committed offences punishable under the IPC. These were serious allegations and could not be ignored as pointless rhetoric from a politician.
He had failed to uphold the country's sovereignty, unity and integrity. Thus, his party had deprived itself of the qualification to function as a registered political outfit.
The petitioner prayed the court to direct the Chief Election Commissioner to give him an opportunity of hearing and to conduct an enquiry into the interview given by the DMDK leader.
He sought interim injunction restraining the Election Commission from declaring the results of the counting in 41 constituencies, where the DMDK has put up nominees, if any of its candidates is found to have secured majority votes.
