Contempt plea against duo for bid to influence judge

Even as the Madras High Court on Saturday allowed the South Indian Artists Association popularly known as Nadigar Sangam to hold the elections at St. Ebas Higher Secondary School in Mylapore as scheduled on Sunday, it also initiated contempt petition against Ishri Ganesh and Anantharaman- part of Swami Sankaradas Ani led by actor-director Bhagyaraj for trying to influence the judge to delay the elections.

Justice Anand Venkatesh before whom the arguments transpired regards holding the election as scheduled in a special sitting at his residence, allowed Nadigar Sangam to hold the elections at St. Ebas Higher Secondary School, the same venue where the Nadigar Sangam held its election in 2015 while directing the Deputy Commissioner, Mylapore to provide police protection.

However, on observing that attempts were made through certain people to delay the hearing of the petition seeking to fix the venue and provide police protection, Justice Venkatesh directed initiation of contempt action against Ganesh and Anantharaman.

Meanwhile, Rajinikanth, who is in Mumbai, tweeted about how he had received his postal ballot late at 6.45 pm on Saturday and hence would be unable to vote. “I regret that I was unable to cast my vote because of this delay. It is strange and unfortunate. This should not have happened...” he said.