The Madras High Court on Tuesday decided to club a bunch of six to seven civil suits as well as couple of writ petitions related to the Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC) so that a quietus could be given to disputes over alleged mismanagement by its office-bearers.
Justice P.D. Audikesavalu said he would direct the High Court Registry to place the matter before Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani so that all related cases could be listed before any one of the judges chosen by her and the cases get disposed of at the earliest.
The decision was taken with the consent of senior counsel S. Ravindran, representing the previous office-bearers led by actor-producer Vishal Krishna. The judge said it was better to hold elections for the council at the earliest since the rival faction also wanted the polls to begin soon.
At present, the TFPC was being administered by a Special Officer appointed by the State government. Hence, Mr. Krishna had challenged the appointment of the Special Officer and also the constitution of an adhoc committee by the latter to help him manage the council.
Mr. Ravindran contended before the court that seven out of nine members of the adhoc committee were those who had lost the 2017 elections and they had now been made to administer the council without any indication of the elections being held at the earliest.
However, Special Government Pleader T.M. Pappaiah refuted the allegation and said the adhoc committee was expected to only assist the Special Officer and not to interfere in the administration. He also sought time for filing a detailed counter affidavit on behalf of the special officer.
However, the judge took a view that it would be better to hear civil suits as well as writ petitions together after obtaining necessary orders from the Chief Justice.
