CHENNAI: A division bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday ruled the elections held to Nadigar Sangam-South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA)- is valid and ordered initiation of vote counting process but restrained the declaration of results for three weeks.
The bench consisting of Justices Pushpa Sathyanarayana and Mohammed Shaffiq pronounced the orders on a batch of writ appeals filed by actors Vishal, Nassar and Karthi.
The judges ordered the concerned election authorities of SIAA to secure the ballot boxes kept in the lockers of the South Indian Bank and carry out the process for counting votes. The process shall be completed within four weeks from obtaining the order of the court.
However, they restrained declaration of the results of the vote counting for three weeks after counsel for respondents sought time to move an appeal against the order before the Supreme Court.
The polls to SIAA have been entangled in litigations after the announcement of the poll notification.
After the tenure of the office-bearers, who included Vishal, Nassar and Karthi, ended in 2018, their term was extended by six months with the approval of the executive committee. Subsequently, the polls were announced and retired judge E Padmanabhan was announced as the election officer.
But the notification was challenged by actors Elumalai and Benjamin before the District Registrar of Societies who withheld the poll process.
However, Madras High Court quashed the orders of the District Registrar and gave the nod for holding the polls.
The election was held on June 23, 2019. It was challenged before the High Court by Elumalai and Benjamin citing irregularities and deprivation of voting rights of several deserving members.
Hearing the petition, Justice K Kalyanasundaram on June 24, 2020, declared the elections null and void and appointed a special officer for running the affairs of SIAA. He also ordered a fresh poll.
Challenging the orders of the single judge, Vishal and others filed writ appeals before the division bench, which, subsequently, granted interim stay on the single judge’s order cancelling the election.