The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : High Court issues notice to panchayatdars

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

High Court issues notice to panchayatdars

Special Correspondent

Advocate files public interest petition challenging `ex-communication'

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, the Tiruvottiyur police and the self-appointed grama sabha leaders of Nalla Thanneer Odai Kuppam here, on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging the illegal ex-communication of six families.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Markandey Katju and Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla issued the notices, returnable in a week, after admitting the PIL filed by advocate K. Gopal, whose family was one of those affected.

When the matter came up for admission, the Madras High Court Advocates Association president, S. Prabakaran, submitted that a few "goondas, claiming to be panchayatdars were perpetrating the illegal practice of excommunication." When the matter was brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the official expressed helplessness and even justified the practice.

In his petition, Mr. Gopal said he was taken to task by the panchayatdars because he ventured to help five tsunami-affected families, which had refused to surrender to the panchayatdars the material and cash incentives gifted by service organisations and philanthropists. The five families were also fined Rs. 1.5 lakhs for defying the fiat of the grama sabha.

"The order of excommunication was promulgated through public announcements via loudspeakers, and the fine was imposed on persons who dared to speak to these families," he said. Even water supply and cable television networks were disconnected.

The problem arose when the families of Panchanathan and his brothers refused to part with the boats and fishing implements donated to them by service organisations as they had lost a family member in the December 26 tsunami. They were ostracised and intimidated by the panchayatdars, who claimed that the relief materials were given to the village in general.

As Mr. Gopal had lost his father to the tsunami, his family too got a boat from philanthropists. The panchayatdars demanded that boat too. When Mr. Gopal refused, the entire family was arraigned before the panchayat and fined Rs. 50,000. With the threat of ex-communication looming large, Mr. Gopal's mother pleaded inability to pay the sum in full, and was permitted to pay Rs. 40,000 as fine.

Mr. Gopal prayed for a direction to the police to register his complaint, and also an order asking the grama sabha to return the fine amount.

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