HC seeks Pondy DGP’s reply in plea seeking action against CM

A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha, before whom the plea moved by one Ganasekaran came up, directed the Puducherry DGP to respond and adjourned the case to January 5, 2021.

The petitioner had contended that in a bid to implement Lokayukta in the Union Territory he along with others had decided to hold a hunger fast before the head post office. Based on this, a letter was sent to the Governor’s office on February 04, 2019, seeking permission. With the Governor’s office responding that such permission to hold a protest should be obtained from the police, a representation was made to the Grand Bazaar police station seeking permission.

As the permission was denied, a protest was held in front of the Chief Minister’s residence. However, police intervened and arrested him on charges of causing disturbance to public peace. On the other hand, the Chief Minister Narayanasamy and others on February 13, 2019, had resorted to a dharna in front of the Lt Governor’s residence (Raj Bhavan) seeking the implementation of Lokayukta without obtaining any police permission.

“The police till date have failed to register any case against the Chief Minister as they had acted in his case by arresting him,” the petitioner said while seeking the court’s direction. The petitioner’s counsel also submitted that based on a query posed under the Right to Information Act (RTI), it was revealed that the police have registered a few cases in this regard against nameless persons.