The Madras High Court on Thursday gave permission for two organisations to hold events commemorating Maaveerar Naal, the Eelam Tamil national day of remembrance. The events are due to go ahead today in Kolathur in Salem district and at Palanisamy grounds in Alamoor.
Justice M.M. Sundresh allowed two different pleas filed by C Ramamurthy, town secretary of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam and by P Bharathi of Sethiathope in Cuddalore district, a functionary of Naam Thamizhar Katchi, requesting police to permit the meetings, the PTI reported.
The judge ordered the respective police authorities to allow the Maaveerar Naal events.
Mr Ramamurthy submitted that he had been conducting the meeting for the past 10 years, but when he applied for permission earlier this month, police refused.
The judge, quoting earlier orders passed by the Madras High Court, based on the rulings of the Supreme Court, said "the same can be made applicable to the case on hand. Sec. 30 (2) of TN Police Act is only regulatory in nature and there cannot be a blanket prohibition on any meeting. Petitioner is proposing to hold the meeting in a private land and directed the police to grant permission with the conditions as they impose."
The judge said "there is no material to come to the conclusion that the meeting will create law and order problem as the petitioner has been conducting the meeting for the past 20 years without any trouble. The permission for the meeting is sought for only one day and the authorities can very well regulate it by fixing the time and venue."
"It is now agreed that the meeting can be held at Palanisamy Grounds Situated in Alamoor. Therefore, the respondents can very well regulate the meeting by imposing the conditions including the time and manner in which the meeting has to be conducted. They can take appropriate action if any of the conditions imposed is violated."