Lawyers in Chennai demand Advocates Protection Act
The protesters also demanded strict action against those who had shot dead Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) advocate Chakravarthi at Sholingar in Ranipet district recently. They raised slogans condemning the violent attacks that had been carried out against the legal fraternity.
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Murder most foul: on custodial torture and deaths
Nearly 15 years after the Supreme Court of India described custodial torture and deaths as the most heinous crime committed by men in uniform, brutal third-degree treatment of suspects remains a chilling reality. Emboldened policemen, with contempt for procedure, show no hesitation in resorting to violence, not just within but also outside police stations. In Tamil Nadu, the recent death of a young man, Ajith Kumar, who was detained and tortured by a special police team, in plain clothes, for alleged theft in Sivaganga district, underscores the deeply ingrained authoritarian and intimidating nature of the police force. The impunity with which he was detained, without a formal complaint or the registration of a First Information Report, illustrates just how normalised such disturbing behaviour has become in policing. Under the direction of the Manamadurai Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ajith Kumar was taken by the team to several secluded spots and subject to lathi blows to force him into confessing to have committed the theft — a woman visiting a temple in Madapuram had asked him to park her car; she later claimed that jewellery in the car was missing. Ajith collapsed under the brutality and the theft remains unproven. Justice S.M. Subramanian of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) aptly said, 'It is almost police-organised crime... Very crudely, we have to say it is the state killing its own citizen.' Most victims are from oppressed backgrounds, making them easy targets. In this case, attempts at a cover-up failed due to protests and political outrage. With the custodial murder of a father and son in Sattankulam during the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh in public memory, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wasted no time in damage control. Seven policemen, including the DSP were suspended; later, five were arrested. The case was transferred to the CBI. Mindful of a political fallout, with the Assembly elections nine months away, Mr. Stalin apologised to the victim's mother. Solatium was offered, including a cooperative society job to his brother, and a housing plot to the family. Mr. Stalin said that such incidents are 'unforgivable' and 'unjustifiable' — views he has not aired in suspected custodial death cases in the past four years. However, these measures alone will not bring closure to the families. As directed by the High Court, he must ensure there is action against senior police officers, if their involvement is proven. A fast track trial is needed. It is time for the law-keepers to fall in line and for such killings to end.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
I want PMK in DMK alliance to strengthen Dalit-OBC unity: TNCC chief Selvaperunthagai
In an interview with TNIE's S Kumaresan and Pon Vasanth B A, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai says that while VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, who is opposed to PMK joining the DMK-led alliance, can decide what is good for his party, the DMK president and leader of the alliance Chief Minister MK Stalin can decide who can be welcomed into the alliance. He also spoke about the AIADMK-BJP alliance and the long-term measures he is implementing to strengthen the TNCC at the grassroots level. Edited Excerpts: Your recent meeting with PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss raised eyebrows. Later, you said you would welcome PMK joining the DMK-led alliance for the 2026 Assembly elections. As I said earlier, my meeting with Dr Ramadoss was purely a courtesy call. But if you ask how there could be no politics, then yes, both of us are politicians and I am a leader of a party. We would have discussed everything. However, only DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin, the leader of our alliance in Tamil Nadu, is in a position to decide on the alliance. The DMK president has said many times that the present alliance is not merely an electoral formation, but an ideological alliance with a united voice on key issues like federalism and secularism. Would the inclusion of PMK, which sided with the BJP even in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, be organic? Has PMK not been part of the DMK alliance in 2006 and 2011? When it comes to politics, we can never say things are permanent. Parties are contesting from different platforms at different times. VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan has been vocal about their reluctance and has even said the VCK would leave if PMK entered the alliance. Would your suggestion not put your existing long-standing ally in a difficult spot? Thirumavalavan has every right to decide for his party, whether to be in the alliance or not and how to face the election. At the same time, the DMK president has the right to decide on who can be included or not. We should acknowledge that VCK, PMK and Congress were part of the DMK alliance in the 2011 Assembly elections.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Arunthathiyar candidates can compete in SC general quota too: HC
An Arunthathiyar candidate can compete in the Scheduled Caste general category quota on merit basis and if he or she is selected, the sub-quota earmarked for Arunthathiyars will not be affected, said the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. The most meritorious Arunthathiyar candidate shall not be adjusted against the SC (Arunthathiyar) vacancy in the first instance, observed a Division Bench of Justices G. R. Swaminathan and K. Rajasekar. The court was hearing an appeal preferred by E. Surya, belonging to the Hindu Pallan community. The Teachers Recruitment Board issued a notification in 2019 for the post of Lecturers in Government Polytechnic Colleges and Special Institutions (Engineering/Non-Engineering). She had applied for the post of Lecturer (Information Technology) under the Scheduled Caste category. However, the two vacancies for the post were filled up by candidates belonging to SC (Arunthathiyar) community. The case of the appellant is that one Ms R, Jeyasudha, who scored more marks than her, ought to have been selected against the SC(A) category in the first instance. In that event, in the SC (General) vacancy, the appellant would have competed with others, all of whom had scored lower marks compared to her. Since Ms Jeyasudha was selected against SC (General) vacancy in the first instance itself, the appellant who is not an Arunthathiyar could not be considered for the remaining vacancy which had been reserved for a person belonging to the SC(A) category. She contended the procedure adopted by the recruiting agency was not in conformity with the statutory provisions. A Single Bench dismissed her petition. She preferred an appeal against the order. The Division Bench observed that reservation was introduced with the aim of advancing and giving adequate representation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other socially and educationally backward classes of citizens. It is well settled that candidates who make it on their own merit have to be adjusted against the General Category candidates. In other words, when vacancies are filled up, the open quota opens first and candidates irrespective of caste, sex etc., are allowed to compete based on merit. The meritorious candidates should be first selected as against the open quota vacancies. Only thereafter, selection has to be made for the vertical reservation category from among the remaining candidates belonging to that particular reserved category (vertical) based on merits, the court observed. It must then be seen if sufficient numbers of candidates to satisfy special reservation (horizontal reservation) have been selected. If not, the required number of special reservation candidates shall have to be accommodated as against social reservation categories by deleting the number of candidates therefrom. At any rate candidates who were selected against a post under the open quota shall not be adjusted against the reserved quota under vertical reservations, the court observed. When a reserved candidate can compete in the open quota on merit and his/her selection would not affect the number of vacancies earmarked for his/her group the same approach should be adopted in the case of sub-reservation also. The court consequently upheld the manner of selection made by the Teachers Recruitment Board.
