Madras High Court allows PMK rally with strict conditions to prevent law and order issues
CHENNAI: Amid apprehensions expressed over the likelihood of unseemly events during the PMK's ambitious 'Chithirai Muzhu Nilavu' rally and conference scheduled to be held on May 11, the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered the party to furnish an undertaking to the police for strict adherence to the pre-conditions to ensure no law and order problems are created.
A division bench of justices N Mala and G Arul Murugan issued the orders while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking to deny permission to the PMK's conference to be held at Thiruvidanthai, near Tiruporur.
'The respondent (PMK) shall furnish an undertaking to the North Zone Police IG to the effect that the conditions imposed by the police will scrupulously be adhered to,' the bench said in the order. It also instructed the organisers of the conference to ensure none of the participants carry any arms or ammunitions while attending the event.
The bench directed the North Zone IG to strictly monitor the conduct of the conference and deploy additional contingents of the personnel to ensure no law and issues are created during the programme. Further, it granted liberty to government authorities to impose any such conditions that are deemed necessary to regulate participants, apart from the 42 conditions already imposed.
The PIL, filed by J Muthukumar of Madambakkam, recalled the widespread violence and large scale damaging of public property during a similar PMK rally in 2013, and sought the court to restrain the officials concerned from granting permission to the rally and conference which coincides with the Chithirai Pournami festival.
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