The Hindu : `Voting will not jeopardise probe'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 13, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`Voting will not jeopardise probe'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI JULY 12. The MDMK general secretary, Vaiko, has claimed that he merely explained the parliamentary debate on Gujarat issue at the controversial Tirumangalam public meeting on June 29, following which a case under the provisions of the POTA was registered against him and eight others.

In his petition filed in the Madras High Court seeking direction to police and jail authorities to enable him to vote in Chennai in the July 15 Presidential election, Mr. Vaiko said, ``the people of the country have a right to know every public act done in a public way by a public functionary like an MP or MLA''.

(The High Court has permitted him to vote in Chennai, subject to the conditions that he should not talk to presspersons and raise slogans during his visit to the polling centre).

The MDMK leader contended that on July 5 the Election Commission of India had permitted him to cast his vote in Chennai. The Commission had forwarded a copy of the permission to the Assistant Returning Officer and Secretary of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. The electoral list has also been suitably amended, he added.

Under these circumstances, if he was kept under judicial custody and no arrangement was made to bring him to Chennai (from Vellore Central Prison) to enable him to cast his vote he would be deprived of his right as an MP to cast his vote in the Presidential election, Mr. Vaiko said in the petition.

``Permitting the petitioner to exercise his right in the election in Chennai will not jeopardise the investigation of the case registered against him'', the petition said.

The Tirumangalam police have registered cases against Mr. Vaiko and eight others for offences under Section 21(2) and (3) of the POTA, besides Section 13(1)(a) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 109 and 120(b) of the IPC.

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