Madras High Court Rejects Petition Against Chennai Press Club Elections
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Chennai, Dec 11 (NationPress) The Madras High Court has rejected a petition that contested the organization of elections for the Chennai Press Club.
On Wednesday, Justice G. Jayachandran, acting as a single-Bench judge, chose not to entertain a lawsuit initiated by T.M. Viswanaath, a member of the Chennai Press Club.
These elections, set to occur on December 15, mark the first time in 25 years that such a process will take place, the last elections having been conducted in 1999.
The objective of these elections is to appoint a full roster of new officials, including a president, two vice presidents, a general secretary, a treasurer, two joint secretaries, and five committee members.
Eligibility to contest and vote in these elections is restricted to primary members of the club.
Justice Jayachandran recommended that the plaintiff approach the court only after the results are announced if he remains dissatisfied with the electoral process.
The elections are being overseen by a Special Guidance Committee (SGC).
This 12-member SGC, chaired by esteemed journalist N. Ram, previously established a subcommittee to finalize the membership list and appointed retired High Court Judge V. Bharathidasan as the Election Officer.
The plaintiff sought to prevent the subcommittee from adding new members to the club.
However, P. Wilson, Senior Counsel for the club, contended that the elections had been delayed for many years, and some parties were trying to obstruct the process.
He pointed out that this group had dominated the club for a long time.
Wilson also noted that the plaintiff did not contest the election notification or the finalized voter list, and thus, the court could not issue an injunction against the elections.
Senior Counsel R. Singaravelan, representing another member opposed to the plea, stressed that the elections, being held after decades, should not be hindered.
Justice Jayachandran dismissed the petition, affirming that the election process could continue without interruption.
He reiterated that any concerns could be addressed in court following the elections and the declaration of results.
