HC rejects DMK's plea as PIL on polls for panchayat posts

The Madras High Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL by DMK seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu state election commission to videograph with audio the entire process of indirect election to the different posts in rural local bodies to ensure free and fair poll.

When the plea of the party's legal wing secretary R Girirajan came up for hearing before a bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha, counsel for the SEC R Nedunchezhian contended that the petition moved as a PIL cannot be entertained.

He said that in respect of counting for election to the posts of chairperson and vice-chairperson to district panchayat councils and panchayat union councils, CCTV cameras would be put in place for the purpose of video recording only.

Even during the election to the rural local bodies no audio recording facility was provided, he added.

Recording the submissions, the bench said, This court is of the considered opinion that since the petitioner himself is ...