The Hindu : Front Page : Madras High Court stays privilege proceedings against Jayalalithaa

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Saturday, Nov 03, 2007
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Madras High Court stays privilege proceedings against Jayalalithaa

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday stayed the privilege proceedings initiated against the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, for her reported statements against Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin.

Justice K. Suguna issued a notice of motion for four weeks and said “till then there shall be an interim stay” of the impugned proceedings. She was passing the orders on Ms. Jayalalithaa’s writ petition challenging the October 20 letter/notice from the Legislative Assembly Secretary asking her to submit her reply by November 2.

The other respondents cited by the petitioner are the Chairman of the Committee of Privileges and Mr. Stalin.

“Political vengeance”

Ms. Jayalalithaa said the privilege issue was “deliberately raised [against her] with mala fide intentions to wreak political vengeance …” Pointing out that she had not commented on Mr. Stalin’s activities as a member of the Legislature or his performance inside the House, the former Chief Minister said there could be no privilege issue in respect of a view expressed outside the Assembly in a bona fide manner.

N. Jothi, counsel for Ms. Jayalalithaa, said a single judge in 2005 stayed identical privilege proceedings against a Tamil weekly. An appeal against the order was still pending and there was no interim order, he said.

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