Decide on DMK ex-MLA's pension plea in 6 weeks: Madras HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to decide within six weeks on the pension request submitted by Mathiarasan, former DMK MLA from Ilayangudi.

Rajakannappan, who contested on behalf of the DMK, won the Ilayangudi seat in the 2006 Assembly elections but resigned in 2009. A by-election was subsequently held the same year, in which Mathiarasan contested as the DMK candidate and was elected. He served as MLA until 2011.

Mathiarasan later submitted an application to the state government seeking pension and other monetary benefits for his tenure from 2009 to 2011. As the government did not respond, he approached the High Court seeking a direction to consider the representation he had submitted in 2020.

When the case was heard by Justice M Dhandapani, the government submitted that the application would be considered and that appropriate orders would be passed.

Recording the submission, the court directed the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to process the former MLA Mathiarasan’s request and issue orders within six weeks. The petition was then disposed of.