Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Madras HC lawyers allowed to vote

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI April 29. The Supreme Court today permitted 829 members of the Madras High Court Advocates Association (MHAA) to vote in tomorrow's elections, but made it clear that their ballot papers will be kept in a sealed cover and not counted for the election of candidates.

A three-Judge Bench comprising Justice G.B. Pattanaik, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Brijesh Kumar passed this order, while granting permission to N. Anand and another to file special leave petitions against a Madras High Court order excluding 829 members from the rolls of the Association.

The Bench, while ordering notice to the respondents, B. Nister Hakeem and another, in its brief order said ``the 829 members of the Bar Association (MHAA), who have been prevented by the High Court from exercising their right to vote, may be permitted to vote, but their ballot papers will be kept in a separate sealed cover. The results of the election on the basis of all other ballot papers will be subject to final decision in this case''.

According to the petitioners, Anand and P.K. Rajagopal, the election of office-bearers of the MHAA is to be held on April 30. They said 829 of the 887 lawyers who applied for membership of the association were found eligible for admission and they were included in the voters' list in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Passing orders on a public interest petition challenging the election procedure and inclusion of the names of 829 lawyers in the voters' list, the High Court held that the 829 members could not be treated as members for the purpose of election and as a result they were held to be ineligible to participate in the elections. The SLPs were directed against this order.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Ethnic village planned near Mamallapuram
• Private sector to be involved in highways care
• 11 more wildlife, bird sanctuaries
• Sadhasiva panel report after Bangalore sitting
• DMK members boycott House
• T.N. move for entry tax on newsprint `regressive'
• A flowery debate
• `Firework units still employ child labour'
• Ban on planting saplings on PWD tank beds goes
• Vijayakumar granted anticipatory bail
• NLC exceeds targets
• Notice on delayed results for private candidates
• BHEL excels in coal-based power generation
• PM's assurance to Vaiko
• Madras HC lawyers allowed to vote

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu