Union Minister seeks to implead himself in TN govt's petition

Chennai, Mar 20 (UNI) DMK Leader and Union Minister A Raja today filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking to implead himself in the Tamil Nadu government's petition challenging the Election Commission's (EC) order transferring Chennai City Police Commissioner R Nataraj.

Acting on a complaint filed by Mr Raja, the EC had on March 14 last, ordered transfer of Mr Nataraj on the ground that his remarks praising Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on International Women's Day was violative of the Model code of conduct, which had come into force for the May 8 Assembly polls in the State.

In his petition Mr Raja said, since the EC's action was based on a complaint filed by him, he had not been impleaded as a respondent.

''So I am not only a proper but necessary party'', he added.

Mr Raja said it appeared that the EC had taken the decision only after conducting a probe and coming to the conclusion that the City Police Chief's remarks would not be conducive for proper conduct of the polls in the matter of maintenance of law and order.

''Once the election date is announced, all governmental activites, except to those for which exemptions were provided by the EC, stands frozen'', he added.

Challenging the EC's direction, the State government filed a petition in the High court, where the EC had submitted that it would not insist on its order, till March 23, asking the State government to send a panel of names to appoint Mr Nataraj's successor.

UNI GV VV SC KN1927