A public interest litigation petition was filed before the Madras High Court Bench here on Friday seeking a direction to the Madurai Collector to consider banning Union Minister M.K. Alagiri's entry into the southern districts, besides keeping him away from Madurai, to curb distribution of cash to voters.
According to court officials, the petition, though numbered by the High Court Registry here, will be transferred to the Principal Seat of the court in Chennai and listed for hearing before the First Bench in accordance with a court notification issued on March 29 stating that all election-related cases will be heard only by it.
M. Sakthikumar, an office-bearer of the Jananayaga Pathukappu Vazhakarignar Sangam (Advocates Association for Safeguarding Democracy), filed the present PIL petition accusing the Union Minister and his party workers of using youngsters and students for distributing money to voters. He also alleged that a couple of Revenue officials on election duty were coerced to act against the district administration. The petitioner claimed that the democratic fabric of the country was shattered during the by-election to Tirumangalam constituency.
