The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Plea for disqualifying consumer body member

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 31, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Plea for disqualifying consumer body member

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A public interest litigation petition seeking to remove a member of the Salem District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum on the ground that he had failed to maintain political neutrality has been filed in the Madras High Court.

A vacation Bench of Justice P. Jyothimani and Justice R. Sudhakar, before which the petition filed by advocate K.R. Ayyappamani of Salem came up for hearing on Tuesday, ordered notices to the State Government, returnable by two weeks.

The petitioner said K. Suresh Kumar, who was appointed member of the forum, took part in a demonstration organised by the local unit of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in February. Maintaining that his continuance in office would be prejudicial to public interest, the petitioner said the member had taken sides, thereby disqualifying himself from the post.

A member of the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum came within the definition of a judge as he discharges judicial function, Mr. Ayyappamani said. His salary or honorarium or allowance was paid from the consolidated fund of the State Government. He also attracted the provisions of Section 14 of the Tamil Nadu Government Conduct Rules, which prohibited any member to be associated with any political activity or organisation.

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