The Madras High Court has requested Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani to club all petitions and civil suits related to the South Indian Artistes’ Association (Nadigar Sangam), so the cases can be heard together and contrary decisions can be avoided.
According to a report by The Hindu, Justice PD Adikesavalu, who has been presiding over most of the cases related to both the Nadigar Sangam and the Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC), asked the High Court Registry on Tuesday to place one of the writ petitions filed filed by the Sangam before the Chief Justice, so it can be heard along with the other cases. In July, Justice Adikesavalu took a similar decision with the pending TFPC cases, and noted that this was in favour of both factions of the association and elections could be announced soon.
As reported earlier, the dates and venue for declaration of results to the Nadigar Sangam elections can be decided only after investigating the allegation that the Sangam denied 61 members their right to vote in the elections by terminating them illegally. This case almost stopped the elections in July, but Justice Adikesavalu ruled that elections must happen as planned and the counting of votes will be stalled till the investigation is complete.
On August 20, it was expected that a verdict on this case will come after the Madras High Court hearing, but the court’s move to club all Nadigar Sangam pending cases is likely to further delay the declaration of election results.
Actor-producer Vishal Krishna, who contested for the post of general secretary once again with Nasser’s Pandavar Ani, has already moved the court once requesting the counting of votes to the elections. In July, the court quashed his plea and asked him to wait till the investigation is complete. He was also asked to file an affidavit responding to the allegation of illegal termination of 61 members.
In the affidavit sent ahead of the hearing yesterday, Vishal repeated that this was a ‘frivolous complaint’ and the decision was taken taken over two years as per the rules of the Sangam and after consultation with the general body members, and requested the rejection of the petition.
3/3 மாண்புமிகு நீதி அரசர் அமர்வுக்கு தென்னிந்திய நடிகர் சங்கத்தின் தேர்தல் வாக்கு எண்ணிக்கை குறித்து சங்கங்களின் பதிவாளர் தாக்கல் செய்த மனுவுக்கு, #siaa GS #விஷால் நீதி அரசரிடம் நேற்று பதில் மனுவை தாக்கல் செய்தார். @VishalKOfficial #nadigarsangam pic.twitter.com/3l0IPZn76W
— NadigarSangam PrNews (@NadigarsangamP) August 17, 2019
2/3 மாண்புமிகு நீதி அரசர் அமர்வுக்கு தென்னிந்திய நடிகர் சங்கத்தின் தேர்தல்.. pic.twitter.com/KxuecjKp7v
— NadigarSangam PrNews (@NadigarsangamP) August 17, 2019
1/3 மாண்புமிகு நீதி அரசர் அமர்வுக்கு தென்னிந்திய நடிகர் சங்கத்தின் தேர்தல்.. pic.twitter.com/N7S1ykfDlH
— NadigarSangam PrNews (@NadigarsangamP) August 17, 2019
Other cases related to the Nadigar Sangam include the long-pending land misappropriation case filed against ex-members Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi, and the case against the Sangam Executive Body for extending their term by over a year and therefore allegedly not being authorised to conduct elections.
The elections were held at St Ebba’s School in Mylapore with Nasser’s Pandavar Ani and Bhagyaraj’s Swami Sankardas Ani contesting opposite each other. After the voting was closed, ballot boxes were sent to the South Indian Bank in Nungambakkam, Chennai. The Sangam has reportedly been paying the bank a daily rent to keep the ballots secure.
