MHC orders repoll to TN electricity workers’ union
Court appoints ex-judge to administer the polls as rival factions fight it out
CHENNAI: Noting that conducting an election is the hallmark of democracy, the Madras High Court appointed a retired judge as the administrator to conduct the election to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Workers’ Federation.
Justice RMT Teekaa Raman directed the city police commissioner to provide necessary police protection to the appointed administrator, P Devadoss, retired High Court judge, for taking over the management of the federation, while disposing of a batch of petitions moved by two sects of the federation accusing each other.
The judge fixed Rs 1 lakh per month as the remuneration to the appointed administrator and noted that he will also ensure the constitution of the state council of the federation.
Plaintiffs K.Sampath, Shajahan and M Ramachandran claiming themselves as the elected general secretary, state president and treasurer of the workers federation moved the petition against their predecessors alleging irregularities.
The plaintiffs contended that the former office bearers S Moorthi, M Dhanasekar and Aruldoss continued to hold their posts without conducting the election as per the organisation’s bylaws, even after the completion of their term. Despite several representations made to the former office bearers, no action has been taken to conduct the election, they told the court.
On May 26, the vice president of the federation conducted a state council meeting and general body meeting followed by an election, the petitioners claimed, filling up the posts lying vacant. Despite knowing well of the election of the new office bearers, the former general secretary S Moorthi tried to withdraw Rs 30 lakh from the accounts of the federation, the petitioner argued in the court.
Meanwhile, the former office bearers moved city civil court challenging the election and claimed it was illegal. They contended that the vice president has no powers to convene a general body meeting and conduct the election, hence it lacks legal sanction.
After hearing all the submissions the judge held that both parties had taken advantage of the loopholes in the bye-laws. The judge however preferred not to go into the merits of the case and ordered the conduct of a fresh election under the supervision of the court administrator, stating that election is a hallmark of democracy.
