The Hindu : New Delhi News : Supreme Court reserves verdict on AIADMK plea

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Supreme Court reserves verdict on AIADMK plea

J. Venkatesan

Plea alleges Karunanidhi, others violated apex court order banning bandh
People who are governing are utterly ignorant of the system: Justice Singhvi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved verdict on a contempt petition filed by the AIADMK alleging that Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and others had violated the September 30, 2007 order banning the bandh in the State on October 1, 2007 over the Sethusamudram issue.

A Bench of Justice B.N. Agrawal and Justice G.S. Singhvi reserved the verdict at the conclusion of arguments by counsel Guru Krishnakumar and Subramaniam Prasad, appearing for the petitioner, and senior counsel M.N. Rao for Union Minister T.R. Baalu.

Arguments in respect of others concluded in November 2008.

In respect of Mr. Baalu, the petitioners were asked to produce original tapes containing his speeches telecast by television channels.

During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Mr. Krishnanakumar submitted that the original tapes could not be produced.

He, however, maintained that the speech made by Mr. Baalu amounted to contempt of court.

When Mr. Krishnakumar read out Mr. Baalu’s speech finding fault with the court holding a sitting on a Sunday, Justice Singhvi orally observed: “It is utter ignorance of the man. They should know that for the past 50 years courts are being held on Sundays also. People who are governing are utterly ignorant of the system.”

Justice Agrawal observed, “These are intellectual giants who do not know about the functioning of courts. He said: “We cannot rely on edited version of tapes. We want to know what is the speech, how much is edited, how much is deleted or substituted. We cannot act on edited tapes.”

Justice Singhvi said: “Whatever may be the statements made against the judiciary, when people have the confidence in judiciary it will not diminish that image. Such statements have to be ignored with the contempt they deserve.”

Mr. Karunanidhi, Mr. K.N. Nehru, Transport Minister, former Chief Secretary, former DGP and former Transport Secretary denied that the court order was violated.

In his reply, the Chief Minister said: “I made it clear at that time that the fast was not against the Supreme Court order and the fast undertaken by political parties should not in any way affect the general public or hinder their routine life. Essential services such as electricity, water supply, milk and hospitals were not affected in any way and asserted that the order was not violated.

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