Setback for Jayalalithaa? Madras HC issues notice to 'Amma'

New Delhi, Aug 12: Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered issue of notice to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on petition challenging appointment of CIC & Information Commissioners.

Two days after former DGP K Ramanujam assumed charge as Chief Information Commissioner of Tamil Nadu, DMK moved the Madras High Court questioning his appointment.

Senior counsel for DMK P Wilson mentioned the matter in the open court before the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam, and sought urgent hearing of a quo warranto plea to be filed by party leader R S Bharathi.

The judges, however, declined urgent hearing and said the matter would come up in the usual course.

Justice M M Sundresh ordered issue of notice to the Chief Minister on a petition by R S Bharathi, a DMK worker.

The court also ordered issue of notice to the Chief Secretary returnable by eight weeks. Bharathi contended that the leader of the opposition has to be consulted before the appointment of CIC and two Information Commissioners.

The appointment was not done with due consultation process. As per the norms, the CIC and Information Commissioners are appointed by a three-member committee consisting Chief Minister, opposition leader of the assembly and a minister nominated by the Chief Minister.

He submitted that due consultation process was not adopted in the appointment of former DGP Ramanujam as CIC and Murugan and Dhakshinamoorthy as Information Commissioners and sought to declare the appointments as null and void.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)