The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Contempt of court proceedings against Vijayakumar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 12, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Contempt of court proceedings against Vijayakumar

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, SEPT. 11. The Madras High Court has initiated contempt of court proceedings against the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, M.P. Vijayakumar, and directed him to appear in court on October 1.

The matter relates to the publication of minutes of a Corporation Council meetings of February 19 and 20, in which a resolution condemning the Opposition members for allegedly tearing a copy of untouchability oath was passed after expelling all members of the Opposition parties.

When the Congress Floor Leader in the Council, Royapuram R. Manohar, filed a writ petition in the court seeking to restrain the officials from incorporating the alleged resolution in the minutes of the meetings, Justice K. Ravirajapandian granted interim injunction on April 15. Counsel for the Corporation took notice on behalf of the Commissioner and the injunction order was communicated to Mr. Vijayakumar, who received and issued acknowledgement as well.

Mr. Manohar preferred the present contempt of court petition against the Commissioner after the latter printed the minutes of the impugned Council meetings, which was the subject matter of the writ petition. "The entire minutes of the Council was printed by the Commissioner in his official report, and distributed to MLAs, Councillors and officials of the Chennai Corporation by the Commissioner," Mr. Manohar said in his petition.

He also noted that his representation to Mr. Vijayakumar, urging him to "seize and seal the official report of the council proceedings" were ignored.

The petitioner further pointed out that though the Deputy Mayor of the Corporation had suspended all Opposition members from the rest of the session, the official report, "incorrectly and misleadingly," stated that the members of the Opposition attended the Council meeting on February 20.

Mr. Manohar alleged that the report was printed "hurriedly and published in order to make the writ petition infructuous," he said, adding, "there is wilful disobedience and violation of orders passed by this court."

He wanted the printed minutes to be seized and sealed, and contempt of court proceedings be initiated against Mr. Vijayakumar.

In the statutory notice sent to the Commissioner, the High Court directed him to appear before Mr. Justice Ravirajapandian on October 1 "to show-cause as to why he should not be punished for contempt of court for disobeying the order of the court."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Businessman's house at Adyar burgled

Contempt of court proceedings against Vijayakumar

Develop questioning spirit, Jaipal Reddy tells students

10 school principals honoured

What commuters really want

Seminar on consumer awareness

Passing out parade

Three of family missing

Around the City

In Chennai Today