HC directs city police to consider plea by PMK to conduct meetings

Chennai:

Madras High Court has directed the city police to consider the application filed by a PMK functionary to conduct public meetings in the city.

A bench comprising of justice N Paul Vasantha Kumar and M Satyanarayanan passed the order following a writ appeal by one PMK functionary V Vadivel who sought the earlier order passed by justice K K Sasidharan be set aside.

The High Court bench directed the police that if the appellant is intending to seek permission for any further date, it is for the police authorities to consider the application to be filed by appellant in accordance with law of section 41 of City Police act and section 144 code of criminal procedure.

The judges also stated that the state shall not stand in the way of considering the said request by the appellant.

“The applications are to be decided on its own merits and in accordance with law,” the judges said.

The petitioner has urged the court to grant permission to the appellant to protect the democratic rights of the party to hold meeting in a public place to express their policy to the public. “if the permission is not granted, the appellant and his party will be put to untold hardship and lose their democratic rights,” the petitioner submitted.